Happening Today
Boston gas-line hearing, Gaming Commission, Warren-Diehl debate
— The Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Committee holds an oversight hearing as part of an effort to review Department of Developmental Services policies governing trainings, procedures and responses to reports of sexual abuse, Room A-2, 11 a.m
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President & CEO Travis McCready to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, 417 Main Street, Gloucester, 11 a.m.
— Representatives from the state’s 52 community health centers and assisted living and home care organizations hold a press conference to discuss ‘unintended consequences for the vulnerable’ under the proposed Question 1, South Boston Community Health Center, 409 West Broadway, South Boston, 11 a.m.
— Boston City Councilors Matt O’Malley, Ed Flynn and Ayanna Pressley hold a hearing concerning the safety of Boston’s natural gas infrastructure, Boston City Council, Iannella Chamber, Boston City Hall, 5th floor, Boston, 11 a.m.
— Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez meets with state Rep. Juana Matias and local business owners to discuss the Merrimack Valley gas explosions, 241 S. Union St., Lawrence, 11:30 a.m.
— Massachusetts Asian Caucus, Rep. Marjorie Decker, Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance and the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence host a briefing on the housing challenges facing domestic violence survivors, House Members’ Lounge, 12 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, Sen. Kathleen O’Connor Ives, Rep. James Kelcourse, Mayors Ken Gray of Amesbury and Donna Holaday of Newburyport and others participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River, Intersection of Ferry Road & Laurel Road, Newburyport, 12:45 p.m.
— City Councilor Ayanna Pressley and others join Boston University custodians and other workers at a rally to demand ‘good jobs and fair contract negotiations’ at Boston University, BU Marsh Chapel 735 Commonwealth Ave, 3:30 p.m.
— Massachusetts Gaming Commission holds a public hearing to accept input on the applications it has received to run live horse racing in 2019, Plainville Council on Aging, 9 School St., Plainville, 4:30 p.m.
— U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, Attorney General Maura Healey, Auditor Suzanne Bump, City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Gonzalez and others hold an early voting event, the Kinsale, 2 Center Plz., Boston, 5:30 p.m.
— U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican Rep. Geoff Diehl participate in their final televised debate before the Nov. 6 election, WCVB-TV Ch. 5, 6:30 p.m.
Today’s Stories
Is there a nurse in the house? Question 1 in big trouble
A new Suffolk/Globe polls shows that 59 percent of surveyed voters now oppose the nurse-staffing Question 1, in a major turnaround from only a few months ago when the ballot question received majority support from voters, reports the Globe’s Matt Stout. The change in sentiment apparently isn’t due to the big bucks being thrown around in the contest. Instead, it’s more personal, with most saying they were swayed by the “input from a nurse they personally know,” Stout writes.
Btw: The same poll shows Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, continuing to hold commanding leads in their respective re-election bids, though Warren’s support seems to be slipping a bit and a majority of voters don’t want her running for president in 2020. See post immediately below for more details on the latter. Btw, II: The Globe’s Liz Kowalczyk takes a look at the debate over what “unsafe staffing’’ means in the Question 1 battle.
Deval Patrick must be smiling this morning …
This is interesting: The new Suffolk/Globe poll released yesterday shows that a whopping 68 percent of surveyed voters don’t want U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to run for president, though a solid majority support her bid for re-election. Here’s the fascinating part in the story by the Globe’s Matt Stout: “Many said if they had to choose, they would prefer it be former governor Deval Patrick — not (Warren) — seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination in 2020. Fifty-one percent said they would opt for Patrick, compared to just 21 percent for Warren.”
Patrick’s gets a further boost at Atlantic magazine: ‘The former Massachusetts governor hopes the 2020 presidential race comes down to character—the candidates’ and the country’s.’
As for Warren, the Globe’s Victoria McGrane reports that she continues to push ahead with a potential presidential run, regularly using Republican challenger Geoff Diehl as a Trump stand-in. WGBH’s Mike Deehan reports on the fine line Diehl himself is walking these days. The two candidates debate tonight on WCVB-TV at 6:30 p.m.
Poll: Voters are concerned about traffic congestion – but most don’t want to pay to fix the problem
In the same Suffolk/Globe poll, Massachusetts voters did agree on one thing: Traffic congestion in the state is growing worse. But Kristin LaFratta at MassLive notes that 48.4 percent of survey respondents say they don’t want to pay higher taxes or fees to address the problem, while 44.6 percent said they would support such revenue measures. File under: ‘Go figure.’
Meanwhile, Chris Dempsey of Transportation for Massachusetts and Phineas Baxandall of Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center write at the MetroWest Daily News that they welcome much-needed investments to repair the state’s transportation network. But they think there’s a problem with the state’s new capital investment plan: It’s inadequate to the needs.
State leaders: Armed guards at synagogues and churches are not the answer
In the wake of this past weekend’s mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo disagreed with President Trump’s assertion that armed guards are the solution to such incidents, reports Shira Schoenberg at MassLive and SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall).
But Amy Saltzman and Eli Sherman at Wicked Local report that congregations across Massachusetts are indeed mulling changes to security measures after the weekend massacre. In Boston yesterday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions denounced the attacks, even as some protesters outside the event “blamed the Trump administration for creating a climate where hate can flourish,” reports Schoenberg in a separate piece at MassLive. The Globe’s Joan Vennochi wonders why it took Sessions ten minutes into his speech at a Federalist Society event to finally address the Pittsburgh tragedy.
Bible-reading ministers escorted out of room after disrupting Sessions speech on religious liberty
Boston Magazine’s Spencer Buell and Universal Hub’s Adam Gaffin have the details on how two ministers, quoting from the Bible, disrupted U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions’ appearance yesterday at a Federalist Society event about the “Future of Religious Freedom.” The two were hauled away by police.
Globe slams Bump, endorses libertarian candidate for auditor
In an editorial, the Globe takes the rare step of endorsing a candidate outside the two major parties, announcing it is backing Libertarian candidate Daniel Fishman over Democratic incumbent Suzanne Bump for state auditor. The Globe minces no words in its criticism of Bump, saying she’s politicized the office and completely missed the “rampant payroll abuse at the State Police.”
Oh, wait, Bump says she now wants to launch OT audits of other state agencies …
As the Globe slams Auditor Suzanne Bump for missing the overtime-abuse scandal at State Police, Bump tells the Springfield Republican that she now wants to look into overtime trends at state agencies other than State Police. Shannon Young at MassLive has the details.
Surprise, surprise: Lone bidder for T’s ferry service jacks up prices
Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports on the potential skyrocketing cost of the T’s ferry service after the agency received only one bid to provide waterway transportation for commuters.
A porn star is born: Lawsuit accuses NH lawmaker of assault after starring in porn film
There’s a film festival of a different sort up north. From the Associated Press at the Concord Monitor: “A New Hampshire state lawmaker producing and starring in a porn film assaulted his business partner in California after he felt his scenes didn’t go well, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the partner. Jonathan Carter filed the suit Friday in Southern California, seeking unspecified damages following a June incident that he claims involved state Representative Frank Sapareto. … Sapareto, Republican of Derry, denied the allegations or knowing Carter or having any business involvement with the adult film industry.”
After crossing aisle, NH GOP chair is shown the door
Speaking of the Granite State, the head of the Windham, NH Republican Town Committee, Joel Deisilets—who is also a candidate for state representative—has resigned after he took to social media to back a Democrat in another race. Breanna Edelstein reports at the Eagle-Tribune. Complicating the cross-aisle endorsement: The Republican in the race is prosecuting Desilets in connection with an assault at a local bar.
Maybe it’s ‘year of the women’ everywhere else, but not on Beacon Hill
The Globe’s Stephanie Ebbert reports that there’s indeed a wave of women running for offices across the country and state. But the wave is unlikely to lead to gender parity on Beacon Hill.
Lt. governor’s debate: Polito and Palfrey agree Walsh shouldn’t have hired ex-Rep. Henriquez
File under “of all things.” From the Globe’s Matt Stout: “Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s decision to hire a criminally convicted ex-lawmaker to an $89,000-a-year job drew backlash Monday . . . at a lieutenant governor’s debate? Indeed, the WGBH-hosted showdown between incumbent Karyn Polito and Democrat Quentin Palfrey provided the unexpected setting for the Walsh finger-wagging after his hire of Carlos Henriquez to work on antiviolence issues, among other things.”
Fyi: The two did discuss other issues, reports SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall).
Lawmakers send civics-education bill back to Baker
From SHNS’s Katie Lannan: “Participation in student-led civics projects would become part of high school and eighth grade curriculum and new efforts would be made to register teenagers to vote under a bill that’s now back on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk.”
SHNS (pay wall — free trial subscription available)
Spotlight team: State investigators concealed degree of Hernandez’s drug use in prison
Here’s a follow-up to the Globe Spotlight team’s recent look at the life and death of former Pats star Aaron Hernandez. From Beth Healy: “State investigators had more evidence than previously disclosed that former New England Patriot star Aaron Hernandez was using a dangerous drug in prison prior to his death — information that was concealed in public records and from his family and lawyers. … (The disclosure) raises questions about whether state officials sought to hide the extensive use of contraband drugs by inmates — including by one of their most well-known prisoners — and its potential influence on his death.”
The Fall River recall clock starts ticking …
Jo C. Goode at the Herald News has your daily fix of SnoOwl news: “The effort to recall Mayor Jasiel Correia II, facing federal wire and fraud charges, begins today after 10 petitioners successfully had their affidavit for a recall election certified by City Clerk Alison Bouchard Monday morning. The group has 20 days with the clock immediately clicking to sign-up 5 percent of the city’s 50,207 registered voters or 2,510 certified signatures. Day 20 is Nov. 17, a Saturday, so the recallers have a few extra days to gather signatures with a deadline on Nov. 19.”
Inquiry finds no racial bias in Smith College case
After all the controversy and teeth gnashing, an outside inquiry into a high-profile case of alleged racial profiling at Smith College in July has found no evidence of discrimination on behalf of school employees, Dusty Christensen reports at the Daily Hampshire Gazette. As they say: Where do they go to get their reputations back?
Things get heated in final Third District debate
The three candidates seeking the state’s Third Congressional District seat met for a final debate on Monday night and Chris Lisinsky at the Lowell Sun reports there were some heated exchanges, with Republican Rick Green pushing back against what he saw as unfair questions and bias from the event’s organizers.
As conservative group raises questions about early voting, UMass professor raises questions about conservative group
The conservative group in question, btw, is the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. From SHNS’s Michael Norton at Wicked Local: “Flagging possible “serious problems” with voting that occurred in the Sept. 4 primary, a right-leaning organization is calling on Secretary of State William Galvin to investigate returned mail sent to 571 people the group says were recorded as voting in the primary – a call that brought a countercharge the group’s conducting racially-biased voter suppression.”
The rise and fall of Dr. Piero Anversa …
The New York Times takes a look at the dramatic rise and stunning fall of Dr. Piero Anversa, the once widely hailed heart-cells researcher who was accused earlier this month by Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital of producing falsified or fabricated data in more than 30 studies produced over a decade. The NIH has now paused human testing of an experimental heart therapy in the wake of the scandal, the Washington Post reports.
Post-Sox report: Bridgewater State students fill obnoxious-celebration void left by peaceful UMass students
After the Sox won the World Series the other night, UMass-Amherst students behaved unusually well after a big sporting event – with no injuries or arrests, although campus cops did show up in riot gear just in case, reports Diane Lederman at MassLive. But two Bridgewater State students were charged with vandalizing property after two bear sculptures were toppled on campus following the game, reports Cody Shepard at the Enterprise.
No matter the outcome of Question 3, UMass will stick with transgender restroom policies
Speaking of higher education, from the AP at the Herald: “Leaders of the state’s (UMass) system are pledging to continue their policy of allowing transgender students, faculty, staff members and guests to use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity even if Massachusetts voters opt to repeal a 2016 transgender rights law.”
Passing grade: After three years, UMass-Lowell and adjunct faculty reach contract deal
OK, one more higher-ed item: We have a deal. From Elizabeth Dobbins at the Lowell Sun: “After nearly three years at loggerheads, UMass Lowell and the union representing adjunct faculty may finally have a contract supported by both sides. According to a press release from the union, adjunct faculty are expected to vote to ratify the contract that would approve between an 18.1 percent and 19.3 percent raise over three years on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14.”
Baker pledges $5M to local police to combat opioid dealers
From SHNS’s Colin Young at WBUR: “Hoping to give local police departments the money he says they need to work together to take down drug dealers, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday he plans to file legislation seeking $5 million for a pilot program. He said the program intends to use a ‘regional, multi-agency approach to fentanyl interdiction and crime displacement.’”
Records: Weymouth offered
PawSox even sweeter deal than Worcester Weymouth dangled an even sweeter financial deal in front of the Pawtucket Red Sox in a bid to attract the team to move there, offering to build an $85 million ballpark at Union Point with public funds and requiring no money from the team up front, Grant Welker reports at the Worcester Business Journal, citing newly obtained public records.
Meanwhile, Lisa Eckelbecker of the Telegram reports the first tranche of municipal bonds to fund construction of Polar Park in Worcester will be sold this week and are expected to see strong investor interest.
Saving our oceans and fisheries
John F. Kerry, the former U.S. senator and secretary of state, and Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, have an op-ed piece in the Globe urging tougher measures to prevent the depletion of fisheries around the world.
School on the Move Prize Ceremony
EdVestors to present prestigious $100,000 School on the Move Prize. Three Boston public schools will be lauded for outstanding progress toward improving performance and are finalists for the coveted award.
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
Author Talk and Book Signing with Melinda Ponder
Author talk and book signing with Dr. Melinda Ponder, author of the book: Katharine Lee Bates: From Sea to Shining Sea. Tenor soloist Teddy Crecelius will sing “America the Beautiful.”
State Library of Massachusetts
A Nation of Immigrants Dinner & Reception
Join the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation for A Nation of Immigrants – Celebrating the Immigrant Experience in American Culture as we celebrate immigrants and their contributions to America’s culture and success.
2018 Distinguished Real Estate Awards Gala
Join NAIOP Massachusetts for the 2018 Distinguished Real Estate Awards Gala as we honor Related Beal for their achievements in real estate, charitable activities and community betterment. David Begelfer will be honored with this year’s Edward H. Linde Public Service Award in recognition of his 27 years of service to NAIOP.
TEDxBeaconStreet
On November 17, TEDxBeaconStreet will return to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for a second year! Some of the most inspiring minds and speakers in the world will come to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for the final day of TEDxBeaconStreet.
2018 Newman Civic Fellows National Conference
The Newman Civic Fellows National Conference is an annual conference exclusively for current Newman Civic Fellows that provides opportunities for networking, collaboration, and shared learning among Fellows. Only members of the 2018 Newman Civic Fellowship cohort may attend the 2018 Newman Civic Fellows National Conference.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
What to watch for in new GE CEO’s first earnings call – Boston Business Journal
Now playing real estate roulette in South: Nuns – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
Boy Scouts to accept girls in Milford – MetroWest Daily News
Home ownership becomes issue in 2 Cape races – Cape Cod Times
Nation
Investors are readying for a housing price spike in Amazon HQ2 city – CityLab
Trump encouraged vulnerable consumers to invest in sham businesses, lawsuit says – The Hill
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