Happening Today
National Adoption Day, jobs data, and more
— Massachusetts Trial Court virtually celebrates National Adoption Day, with remarks from Gov. Charlie Baker, First Lady Lauren Baker, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey and others, 9 a.m.
— Labor officials release the monthly unemployment rate and jobs data for states in October, 10 a.m.
— Louis D. Brown Peace Institute hosts a celebration of survivors of homicide victims, with U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Attorney General Maura Healey, Sen. Nick Collins and Reps. Dan Hunt and Liz Miranda participating, 1 p.m.
— Senate President Karen Spilka hosts a one-hour ‘2020 Virtual Senior Health and Wellness Fair,’ with experts from the MetroWest region sharing strategies to help older adults overcome social isolation during COVID-19, 1 p.m.
For the most comprehensive listing of calendar items, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available), as well as MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.
Today’s Stories
Reminder to readers: SHNS Coronavirus Tracker available for free
A reminder to our readers as the coronavirus crisis unfolds: The paywalled State House News Service, which produces MASSterList, is making its full Coronavirus Tracker available to the community for free on a daily basis each morning via ML. SHNS Coronavirus Tracker.
The coronavirus numbers: 27 new deaths, 10,204 total deaths, 2,532 new cases
CBS Boston has the latest coronavirus numbers for Massachusetts.
High-risk zones: 62 communities now listed as virus hotspots
Even when they change the metrics, the coronavirus numbers keep getting worse. NBC Boston’s Ashher Klein and Mike Pescaro report that 62 communities in Massachusetts are now listed as high-risk virus hotspots, despite the state recently changing its metrics to make it more difficult for communities to be listed as hotspots.
Meanwhile, CommonWealth’s Bruce Mohl reports that Lawrence’s coronavirus numbers continue to “slip out of control.” In Worcester, city and health officials are almost begging residents to stay home on Thanksgiving (MassLive), as the work continues on a new COVID-19 field hospital in Worcester (Telegram). The AP at GBH reports on the spike in hospitalizations statewide. MassLive reports another State House staffer has tested positive. And the Globe’s Martin Finucane and Jeremy Fox have a good summary on all the “terrifying” data in general, including school case counts.
Last stand: Northeast governors band together to push in-person learning despite dismal data and guidance changes
It may be a lost cause at this point, but they’re not giving up. From SHNS’s Matt Murphy: “With COVID-19 cases on the rise across the Northeast and New York City moving to close its schools to students and teachers this week as a result, six governors, including Gov. Charlie Baker, banded together to support the continuation of in-person learning as a safe activity when done correctly.”
Besides Baker, the united-front campaign includes the governors of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Noticeably missing from the list: The governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New Jersey.
Meanwhile, from the Globe’s Felicia Gans: “Mass. reports 398 new coronavirus cases among public school students, 254 among school staff members.” And from CommonWealth’s Sarah Betancourt: “In-person learning now considered ‘high risk’ by CDC/Change in guideline quietly made on agency website.”
Btw: Baker and other governors were also virtually banding together with President-elect Joe Biden yesterday on COVID-10-related matters, as CBS Boston reports.
SHNS (pay wall — free trial subscription available)
Massport to slash workforce by 25 percent as Logan passenger traffic tanks
The Massachusetts Port Authority plans to cuts its workforce, via layoffs, furloughs and voluntary buyouts, by 25 percent, or more than 300 workers, as a result of plunging passenger traffic at Logan International Airport during the pandemic, reports the BBJ’s Greg Ryan.
Galvin and Romney blast Trump’s latest gambit to steal the election
And, yes, we’re talking steal, as in theft, robbery, pilfer, purloin etc., considering President Trump clearly lost both the popular and electoral-college votes – and yet he’s still trying to salvage a win by attempting to convince legislators around the country, including those in Michigan, to overrule the will of the people. GBH’s Mike Deehan reports on Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s angry reaction to Trump’s latest gambit, while the Washington Post reports former Mass. Gov. and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney is calling the action “undemocratic.”
It’s official: Massachusetts shattered voter-turnout record on election day
MassLive’s Steph Solis reports that, yes, more than 3.65 million people in Massachusetts cast ballots in the Nov. 3 election, setting a new state voting record.
Mass. Dems and Republicans have Georgia on their minds …
We’re sure the good people of Georgia will welcome with open arms all those Northerners, especially Democrats and Republicans from Massachusetts, who plan to flood their upcoming U.S. Senate run-off election with money and volunteers. Christian Wade at CNHI News reports on the local mobilization efforts to take Georgia by political storm.
Election 2022, anyone? Mass. Dems and Republicans try to get their acts together before next statewide elections
WBUR’s Callum Borchers reports that state Democrats may have racked up big wins in 2020. But the big question they’re facing moving forward is whether they can unite to re-capture the governor’s office in 2022. They do have one other problem besides lack of unity. Hints: He’s tall. He’s popular. And he doesn’t call himself a Democrat.
Meanwhile, it seems to be dawning on some state Republicans that, yes, they got “completely clobbered” in 2020, no matter what party chair Jim Lyons claims, and the question the GOP has moving forward is whether it can even survive 2022, reports Anthony Brooks at WBUR.
Senate budget updates: Nudging the MBTA, sports betting flop, help for hemp farmers
A day after the Senate approved its own $46 billion state budget for fiscal 2021, reporters had time to sift through all the amendments and fine print and found a number of notable things, besides the fact the ROE Act was passed as a budget amendment. From MassLive’s Steph Solis: “From abortion protections to sports betting flop: 5 takeaways from the Massachusetts Senate’s $46 billion budget for fiscal 2021.” … From CommonWealth’s Shira Schoenberg: “Mass. hemp farmers view amendment as lifesaver.” … From SHNS’s Chris Lisinski (pay wall): “Senate Budget Plan Nudges MBTA on Service Cuts.” … And from SHNS’s Colin Young (pay wall): “Senate Rejects Sports Betting, Adds TNC Fees to Budget.”
Congressional reps to Beacon Hill leaders: Time to be more inclusive
Speaking of the State House, from CommonWealth magazine’s Shira Schoenberg: “Eight of Massachusetts’s nine members of the US House of Representatives have signed a letter to State House leaders in support of a group of Beacon Hill staff members of color, who demanded reforms to create a more inclusive environment for diverse staffers.” The lone delegation member not to sign the letter: U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch.
Boston police union boss on reforms: ‘We are not the obstacles or obstructionists’
The Globe’s Milton Valenciahas an update on the stalled police reform legislation on Beacon Hill, where it looks like lawmakers may well punt the issue into next year. Meanwhile, the Globe’s Kevin Cullen talks with Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, who swears up and down his union isn’t an obstacle to city and state reforms. To which some might disagree, in a Queen Gertrude type of way.
Digging in: Methuen Council votes to investigate police leadership
Speaking of police, no de-escalation here. The Methuen City Council has voted unanimously to launch an investigation into the leadership of the police department, a move that will give councilors subpoena power amid a years-long standoff with the department’s top brass. Bill Kirk at the Eagle-Tribune reports Councilor Mike Simard—a Lawrence police officer–will helm the inquiry, which Police Chief Joseph Solomon slammed as “harassment.”
Smith College professor: Time to cancel the cancel culture
One of the more popular courses at Smith College in Northampton? A class by Prof. Loretta J. Ross, a radical Black feminist who’s calling for an end to the call-out culture, saying it’s “toxic” and alienating. Her advice to students enrolling in her class: “If you need a trigger warning or a safe space, I urge you to drop this class.” The NYT has more.
They’re back: Maine opponents of hydropower project planning a new ballot initiative
Their first ballot initiative was struck down by Maine’s high court. Now opponents of a hydro project that would transmit power from Canada to Massachusetts, via transmission lines through Maine, say they’ll have a new and improved ballot initiative ready to go next year, reports Christian Wade at the Newburyport Daily News.
Dethroned: Framingham’s iconic ‘castle hotel’ hitting auction block
Caitlyn Kelleher at MetroWest Daily News reports that the iconic Framingham Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center – designed as a ye olde castle, complete with turrets and battlements — is scheduled to be auctioned off in December. The castle, highly visible from the Mass. Pike, was built in the early 1970s. Need we say more?
King Street plans $500M biomanufacturing campus in Devens
Biomanufacturing is hot these days. How hot? The BBJ’s Catherine Carlock reports that King Street Properties is planning to build a $500 million biomanufacturing campus, with five buildings totaling 700,000 square feet, on a 45-acre site in Devens.
Top to bottom: 1,000-plus government workers in Worcester targeted by unemployment scammers
Even the mayor’s been hit. The city of Worcester says more than 1,000 public employees have been the victims of fraudulent unemployment claims, sometimes repeatedly, including Mayor Joseph Petty and schools Superintendent Maureen Binienda, Christina Hager at CBS Boston reports. Officials are trying to piece together exactly why Worcester, in particular, seems to be a favorite target of scammers.
Ghosted: Salem tour operator latest to sue Baker over restrictions
The operator of a walking ghost tour company in Salem has filed suit against Gov. Charlie Baker’s coronavirus restrictions, saying the company’s free speech rights are being infringed upon, Julie Manganis at the Salem News reports. Salem Ghosts says walking tours are capped at 12 people, while tour companies that use vehicles are allowed to have more customers at once.
Sunday public affairs TV: Stephen Lynch, Andrew Lelling and more
Keller at Large, WBZ-TV Channel 4, 8:30 a.m. This week’s guest: U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who talks with host Jon Keller about federal Covid stimulus funds, troop drawdowns in Afghanistan, and talk of him joining Biden administration.
This Week in Business, NECN, 10 a.m. TJ Douglas, owner of Urban Grape, on the holiday season and creating a more inclusive wine industry; and Keiko Matsudo Orrall, executive director of the Mass. Office of Travel and Tourism, on promoting local businesses.
On The Record, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 11 a.m. This week’s guest: U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, who talks with hosts Ed Harding and Janet Wu, followed by a roundtable political discussion with analysts Mary Anne Marsh and Rob Gray.
CityLine, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 12 p.m. With host Karen Holmes Ward, this week’s topic: Restaurant Row, with a look at the offerings at local restaurants.
17th Annual Team Massachusetts Economic Awards: Celebrating 2020’s Massachusetts Corporate Heroes
With our Corporate Heroes Award, MassEcon will honor a sampling of employers, large and small, in every region of the state, that reflect the spirit of Massachusetts businesses to solve problems, serve their communities and provide for the livelihoods of their workers. Register: https://massecon.z2systems.com/np/clients/massecon/eventRegistration.jsp?event=61&
Inno on Fire
The Inno on Fire Awards is our annual celebration of innovators, big and small, people, and organizations in Boston. What makes a company or individual on fire? We are looking at startups that have had a banner year, people and companies with hew funding, recent product launches, hot hires, innovative approaches to solving problems, and creative leaders who think out of the box.
Author Adam Davidson with The Passion Economy The New Rules for Thriving in the Twenty-First Century
Boston Public Library and the GBH Forum Network present this virtual program in “The Arc of History: Contested Perspectives” series featuring BPL President David Leonard, who will moderate the program.
WBJ Central MA Health Care Forum
Healthcare Post Pandemic: The Covid-19 pandemic has not only claimed over 200,000 lives in our country, but has been a disruptive force to many industries, including healthcare. Join us for this timely and informative webcast where our panel of experts will discuss what has changed since the beginning of the pandemic and what lies ahead.
The State of Innovation: Electrification presented by Analog Devices
Across the network, Innos State of Innovations meetups focus on a specific industry, category, theme or individual and will feature a keynote, fireside chat, panel, pitch, demo or a combination of the five. Join us for a conversation with local innovators and experts.
Author Neal Gabler with Catching the wind: Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour, 1932-1975
Join the Boston Public Library and the GBH Forum Network for an online talk with Neal Gabler, author of Catching the Wind: Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour, 1932-1975. BPL President David Leonard will moderate this program, which is part of the Arc of History: Contested Perspectives series.
2020 Women Who Mean Business
Join us as we celebrate outstanding women at our fourth Women Who Mean Business awards program. These women represent the scale of business in Greater Boston and have demonstrated significant growth in their companies.
Boston Business Journal and Webster Bank
Kay Ulanday Barrett Performing and Answering Questions at the Intersections of Disability, Trans and Racial Justice
LexPride is thrilled to welcome the one-and-only Kay Ulanday Barrett (they/them) to Lexington. Kay is a poet, performer, and educator, navigating life as a disabled pilipinx-amerikan transgender queer in the U.S. with struggle, resistance, and laughter. They are the author of When the Chant Comes and More Than Organs. Kay will perform and answer questions from the audience.
LexPride. Co-sponsored by Boston Pride, Cary Memorial Library, and the Network for Social Justice.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Amazon withdraws plans for South Boston warehouse – Universal Hub
Long lines for Covid testing in Brockton – Brockton Enterprise
Massachusetts
Clinton police chief Mark Laverdure announces retirement after 43 years – Telegram & Gazette
Red zone: Framingham’s positivity rate tops 4 percent – MetroWest Daily News
Great Barrington board appears poised to reject airport expansion permit – Berkshire Eagle
Nation
Biden says he’s made Treasury selection, but keeps name under wraps – Politico
Trump targets Michigan in his bid to subvert the election – New York Times
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