Happening Today
Spilka and Hiinds tour, ARPA hearing, and more
9 a.m. | Senate President Karen Spilka and Sen. Adam Hinds kick off a multi-stop tour of Massachusetts intergenerational care facilities as part of a day of events for the Senate Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency to release its findings.
9:45 a.m. | Boston mayoral finalist Michelle Wu holds press availability at Boston’s City Hall Plaza to share updates on her campaign and answer questions from the media.
11 a.m. | House and Senate Ways and Means committees hold final virtual hearing on how to spend the state’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation.
11 a.m. | House holds an informal session.
12:30 p.m. | Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey signs the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance.
Today’s Stories
The question of overlap
The fate of the federal infrastructure bill is on the minds of state legislative leaders as they start to craft a plan to spend Massachusetts’ share of American Rescue Plan Act funds. State House News Service’s Chris Lisinski reports that Senate President Karen Spilka addressed possible overlap between an ARPA bill crafted at the state level and what is included at the federal level.
Rollins: A tie, not a loss
It was a “surreal” experience. That’s how Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins described hearing Sen. Tom Cotton go after her record during a U.S. attorney nomination hearing last week. Boston Globe’s Travis Andersen reports that Rollins made the comments during a regular appearance on GBH Radio.
“I remain optimistic, and look forward to the confirmation in the full Senate,” Rollins said on the program. “And it’s a tie, it’s not a loss.”
Letting it stand: Supreme Court won’t take up challenge to Baker’s pandemic power
No comment. Without explanation, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it would not take up a challenge that sought to undo Gov. Baker’s pandemic restrictions on the grounds that he overstepped his authority when he shut down businesses and limited gatherings early in the COVID crisis, the Associated Press reports via the Globe. The move lets stand a December ruling from the Supreme Judicial Court that the governor was acting within his powers and reacting to a true emergency.
Former BPPA head is 15th officer charged in OT investigation
A former Boston police officer who also served as the head of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association is the 15th officer to be charged in a federal investigation into overtime fraud at BPD’s evidence warehouse. Boston Herald’s Rick Sobey reports that Thomas Nee agreed to plead guilty to collecting over $16,000 in overtime he did not work.
Go West: Auditor calls for more help for rural corners of state
Help needed — send cash. State Auditor Suzanne Bump will release a report Tuesday that calls for lawmakers to funnel more federal relief funds to rural communities in the western part of the state, which is facing a host of criss-crossing crises, Larry Parnass of the Berkshire Eagle and Shira Schoenberg of CommonWealth report. Coming as lawmakers prepare to finalize plans for spending billions in federal aid, Bump’s report calls for as much as $100 million to be pumped into a ‘rural rescue fund.’
A professor of Haugen reflects on her time as a student
A professor who taught Frances Haugen, the recently revealed Facebook whistleblower, reflected on Haugen’s time at Olin College, calling her “enthusiastic,” “committed,” and “a student who always had her hand up.” Boston Globe’s John R. Ellement, Nick Stoico, and Jeremy C. Fox have more details.
‘Nothing that moves the needle’
The prospect of legislation that would make it illegal to manufacture certain firearms in Massachusetts led Smith & Wesson to announce that the company is moving its headquarters from Springfield to Tennessee. But MassLive’s Jim Kinney reports that Savage Arms, another gunmaker based in Westfield, doesn’t feel threatened by the law.
BC and BU saw their endowments grow by a lot this year
These colleges witnessed large increases to their endowments this last year. Boston Business Journal’s Grant Welker reports that Boston College’s endowment grew by nearly $1.2 billion over the past year while Boston University’s jumped by $971 million.
More from Welker: “Those increases come as colleges have both reaped significant investment returns and enjoyed fundraising drives that in many cases have exceeded even colleges’ own goals.”
Amherst council candidate expresses ‘disbelief’ in endorsement
They what? Amherst city council candidate Ellisha Walker says an endorsement from local PAC Amherst Forward was both unsolicited and unwelcome, saying the group “tokenized” her by endorsing her without even asking her about her positions on the issues, Scott Merzbach of the Daily Hampshire Gazette reports.
Decision time
How does a town spend $2.1 million in federal funds? That’s the question facing the Great Barrington Select Board. Berkshire Eagle’s Heather Bellow reports about half of the more than $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds earmarked for the town has arrived and now officials are deciding how to spend it.
Thinking big: Carney promises Vegas-like feel at revamped Raynham Park
Go big or go home. Developer Chris Carney says his redevelopment of Raynham Park, which is poised to begin the local permitting process, will “rival Las Vegas” when completed — but his vision requires the state to both legalize sports betting and grant him a license for the onetime dog racing facility, the Taunton Daily Gazette’s Chris Helms reports.
Jealous much? New York Post trolls Boston ahead of Wild Card showdown
Read this list of reasons the New York Post — under the byline of ‘all New Yorkers’ — says Boston sucks and tell us there’s not a hint of envy behind it all.
Beverly officials ask two residents to remove the roosters
No more roosters. Beverly health officials asked two residents to remove the male chickens from their property as it violates their city-issued permit. Salem News’ Paul Leighton reports that Anita and Brian Deeley say removing the rooster would hurt their egg-selling business.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Delta is adding five new routes from Logan Airport in 2022 – Boston.com
Lynn teachers union backs Nicholson for mayor – Lynn Item
Massachusetts
Vaccine shots on the menu at McDonald’s on Shrewsbury Street – Telegram & Gazette
Justin Bieber has a limited edition cannabis, and you can get it in Massachusetts – MassLive
Delays hinder state’s pooled testing program for schools – CommonWealth Magazine
Nation
Biden to hit the road in economic agenda push – The Hill
Francis Collins to step down as NIH director – Politico
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