Happening Today
Public Health Council, judge interviews, more
9 a.m. | The Public Health Council meets by video conference, with plans to hear updates from acting DPH Commissioner Margaret Cooke, including a review of opioid overdose data, an informational presentation on mosquito-borne disease surveillance, and new results from the COVID-19 community impact survey. Agenda and access info
10 a.m. | The Governor’s Council interviews District Court nominee William Farrell, who is currently first assistant clerk magistrate of the Somerville District Court. Council Chamber.
10 a.m. | Boston mayoral candidate and City Councilor Michelle Wu joins small business and restaurant owners to urge City Hall to “act now to take steps for protection of workers and the public, including proof of vaccination in high-risk public places such as restaurants and theaters. 2805 Washington St., Boston
10 a.m. | Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate Andrea Campbell announces an endorsement. John Eliot Square, Roxbury
1 p.m. | The Governor’s Council will hold a hearing on the nomination of Samir Zaganjori, a former defense attorney who now oversees prosecutors in the Middlesex DA’s office, for a Boston Municipal Court judgeship. Council Chamber
1:30 p.m. | Boston mayoral candidate John Barros visits small businesses in Cleary Square to talk with business owners and employees about COVID-related resources and additional technical assistance needed. 570 Fairmount Ave., Boston.
Today’s Stories
Setting the tone? State Street to require employee vaccinations
They’re among the first, but certainly won’t be the last. State Street Corp.–one of the Bay State’s largest private employers–says it will require all U.S. employees to be vaccinated by mid-September in order to enter its offices, Greg Ryan of the Boston Business Journal reports. The move extends the trend that began in the state’s hospital and higher education sectors and is seen by many as a harbinger of things to come.
Cracking down: Mass. hospitals setting hard deadlines for employees’ COVID-19 shots
Those aforementioned hospitals are now putting deadlines in place. Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Tufts Medical Center have all set October cutoffs, the Boston Globe’s Priyanka Dayal McCluskey and Dustin Luca of the Salem News report. Without a medical or religious exemption, employees who do not get the shot could be let go.
More masks: Salem mandate lasts past Halloween; Worcester requires in municipal buildings
Meanwhile, more masking mandates. Salem has formalized its full-on mask requirement for all indoor and crowded outdoor settings, extending the rule into mid-November as the city prepares for its busy Halloween tourism season, Dustin Luca and Erin Nolan of the Salem News report.
And Worcester City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. issued an executive order Tuesday that will institute a mask mandate in all municipal buildings beginning Thursday. Masks will also be required at any city-sponsored event that is held indoors, the Telegram and Gazette reports.
The moves come as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported Tuesday that the positive Covid test rate among the fully vaccinated rose but remains well below 1 percent. Noah Bombard of MassLive has the numbers.
Welcome back: JetBlue Worcester flights after pandemic pause
Worcester Regional Airport and the bosses at MassPort got some welcome news Tuesday, with JetBlue announcing it would resume flights to New York City out of the airport next week, Cyrus Moulton of the Telegram reports. Delta and American Airlines have yet to say when they might return, but the airport is celebrating JetBlue’s return–which will expand to include a Florida route in October–by offering free parking for the rest of the year.
Guest appearance: Correia makes cameo in case of Swansea official facing criminal charges
Former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia–who is awaiting sentencing on his federal corruption conviction–apparently tried to intervene in the case of an elected official in neighboring Swansea who is facing charges related to his destruction of rival candidates’ lawn signs. Jo C. Goode of the Herald-News tracks all the twists and turns.
Never mind: Ayyadurai drops lawsuit claiming Galvin got him booted from Twitter
Erstwhile Senate candidate Shiva Ayyadurai has apparently moved to drop his lawsuit against Secretary of State William Galvin claiming the election official was responsible for getting Ayyadurai’s Twitter account shut down because of claims about the integrity of the 2020 election, Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub reports.
Delayed reaction: Clark is late disclosing stock trade
She’s got plenty of company. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark became the latest federal lawmaker to file a delayed financial disclosure report, saying she sold $100,000 worth of private stock in an investment company back in January–well past the 45 day disclosure window required by law, Zach Everson of Forbes reports. Clark is the fourth highest-ranking Democrat in the House and often mentioned as future speaker material.
Stay cool–if you can: Janey declares heat emergency in Boston, blames changing climate
With sweltering temperatures looming, Acting Mayor Kim Janey has declared a heat emergency in Boston that will last through the end of the week. Temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s over the next three days, and Janey pinned the incoming heat wave on climate change, WBUR’s Jenny Kornreich and Boston.com’s Christopher Gavin report. Cooling centers will open throughout the city to help residents beat the heat.
While dangerous and just plain gross, the heat wave also dovetails with a larger conversation. Globe columnist Adrian Walker says the entire mayoral field is actually low-key delivering a strong message on climate as they campaign ahead of September’s preliminary election.
Plot thickens: Sandisfield tax collector resigns amid financial irregularities
Messy, messy, messy. Sandisfield Treasurer Theresa Sponholz has resigned from her post, marking the fifth departure from Town Hall in two months as the tiny town continues to deal with the fallout from financial irregularities discovered in an audit, Heather Bellow of the Berkshire Eagle reports. The fallout has already claimed a town administrator, a select board member and the former town clerk and officials now say attention is focusing on certain cash transactions on the books.
Fix it: Report calls for reforms to PILOT programs
The state’s payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, program for nonprofits that are exempt from local property taxes is unevenly applied and should be the focus of major reforms, the Pioneer Institute argues in a new report. Amy Sokolow of the Herald reports the conservative think tank suggests the state take a page from Boston’s PILOT approach, which standardizes payments.
Making good: Rep. Linsky hit with lien over $145K in back federal tax
Rep. David Linsky says he is fighting a $145,000 lien filed against him by the IRS over four years’ worth of unpaid income taxes and that he has a plan in place to pay back the entire amount. Sam Doran of State House News Service reports Linksy, an attorney who has held the 5th Middlesex District seat since 1999, attributed the late payments to ‘family and business issues.’
Laying new track: Barros says federal aid should be used to expand T rapid transit
Put it to good use. Boston mayoral candidate John Barros called on the MBTA Tuesday to use federal funding, like the money that would be allocated to the T from the $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate Monday, to make major improvements to the Fairmont Line. The funds should be used, Barros said, to convert the Fairmont Line into a full-blown rapid transit line that would be more efficient and reliable, the State House News’ Colin A. Young reports. The proposal is part of a larger pitch from Barros to expand the T’s rapid rail system.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Lynn council votes to allow senior housing at former Union Hospital site – Lynn Item
Massachusetts
Appeals court upholds Lawrence ‘madam’ conviction – Eagle-Tribune
Attleboro’s Morin’s Inc. defends $10M federal grant – Sun Chronicle
Nation
Gannett launches a network-wide push to rework its crime coverage – Poynter
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