Happening Today
10:30 a.m. | Secretary of State William Galvin talks to reporters about Tuesday’s municipal elections. The state’s election overseer plans to talk about anticipated turnout in Boston’s elections as well as “the collection and counting of mail-in ballots.”
11 a.m. | Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee holds virtual hearing to consider 39 bills related to law enforcement and training topics.
11 a.m. | Senate holds an informal session.
12 p.m. | Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, and other legislative leaders meet privately. A media availability follows.
1 p.m. | Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee meets virtually for an executive session, where members could vote to advance legislation before the panel. Executive sessions used to be the primary way that legislative committees gathered to vote on bills, and the in-person gatherings were open to the public.
Today’s Stories
One more day before Boston makes history
There’s only hours to go before Boston makes history.
No matter which way the final tally comes down, a woman of color will serve as the city’s next mayor. While residents head to the polls on Tuesday, Boston Globe’s Emma Platoff and Stephanie Ebbert report that tens of thousands have already made their choice: 6,499 voted early and 32,937 mailed in their ballots, according to city data.
The Globe duo report that the candidates spent the final weekend before Election Day cruising around the city in an attempt to make one final pitch to voters and to urge them to vote. WBUR’s Walter Wuthmann reports that the two both made appearances at the 70th annual North End Halloween children’s parade on Sunday.
But it wasn’t all smiles and grins between the two candidates as the long awaited day neared. Boston Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter reports that the race took a nasty turn in its final days. As Cotter writes: “It started out with a hug. But the Boston mayoral campaign is wrapping up with a battle over whether a sharp-pointed PAC attack ad should air, a sudden press conference slamming the front-runner and accusations of ‘Trumpian tactics.’”
So what will the final day of the Boston mayoral election look like? Wu’s campaign advised that she’ll hold a morning meet and greet with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a press availability later in the day, and a get out the vote canvas kickoff in Jamaica Plain in the afternoon.
Essaibi George is planning a marathon of a day that started at midnight when she talked with MBTA workers, a very early morning stop at Bova’s Bakery in the North End, a 2:30 a.m. visit to Mass and Cass, and later South Street Diner. She kicks off the regulars morning hours at Freeport Bus Yard, gives testimony at a legislative hearing before noon, and after a few more events, holds an evening get out the vote rally.
One of us: Boston, baseball world mourn loss of Jerry Remy
For many, he was Red Sox Nation personified. Somerset native Jerry Remy, who first became a fan favorite when he patrolled second base for the Boston Red Sox in the late 1970s and later became the face and voice of the team as a broadcaster when the team finally hit World Series paydirt in the 2000s, lost his 13-year battle with lung cancer. Chad Finn of the Globe reports the outpouring of appreciation for Remy, 68, proves he left an indelible legacy on both the local nine and the larger baseball world.
Maine voters have the power over Massachusetts hydropower
It’s up to Maine voters whether a plan to bring hydropower to Massachusetts from Canada advances. Salem News’ Christian Wade reports that residents in the state head to the polls Tuesday to consider a referendum on the construction of a 145-mile hydropower transmission corridor through western Maine.
More from Wade: “The referendum will ask voters if they want to ban construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and require a two-thirds vote by the state Legislature for large-scale transmission projects on public land. The ballot question targets the $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect project, which is overseen by Central Maine Power Company and seeks to import up to 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Hydro-Québec’s dams. Most of the power would be sent to Massachusetts along the transmission corridor.”
For some, an elected Boston School Committee is a civil rights issue
Boston voters on Tuesday won’t just be electing new politicians, they’ll also be asked to weigh in on a nonbinding referendum about whether the city should return to an elected School Committee. Boston Globe’s James Vaznis reports that advocates for the measure say the issue is one of civil rights.
More from Vaznis: “They aim to end voter disenfranchisement in communities of color whose children comprise about 85 percent of the 51,000 students in the Boston Public Schools. They note their push to elect the School Committee comes at a time when other places nationwide, such as Georgia and Texas, are erecting barriers to voting.”
Cannabis delivery companies say two driver rule is an obstacle
Cannabis delivery companies are certainly seeing demand for their services. But there’s an issue that owners and operators say is preventing them from being profitable. MassLive’s Melissa Hanson reports that companies say the state’s two driver rule — where there must be two drivers in a delivery vehicle — is one the biggest obstacles they face.
More from Hanson: “‘The costs of having two drivers in one car add up on top of federal 280E taxes the 3 percent host community fee,’ [We Can Deliver founder Gabe] Salazar said.”
Let there be light
Power outages on the South Shore and Cape Cod declined even more over weekend as utility companies worked to restore electricity to households and businesses. Boston Herald’s Rick Sobey reports that following last week’s nor’easter that left 500,000 without power, roughly 1,000 residents remained without electricity Sunday evening.
ARPA bill clears House, grows to $3.28 billion
A plan to spend billions in federal aid dollars and surplus revenue from fiscal 2021 cleared the House Friday evening after growing to $3.28 billion. State House News Service’s Katie Lannan, Chris Lisinski, and Chris Van Buskirk report that the bill passed the branch on a 159-0 vote after lawmakers added nearly $174 million via the amendment process.
More from SHNS: “The bill began with a bottom line of $3.65 billion and representatives took a handful of votes to add on tens of millions of dollars more, much of it earmarked for local programs and projects, through four mega-amendments compiled outside of public view.”
Still waiting: No charges, suspects three years after Whitey Bulger death in federal prison
They’re still looking into it. Three years after notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger died from injuries suffered in a beating inside a federal prison in West Virginia, federal officials say the case remains under investigation. Alanna Durkin Richer and Philip Marcelo of the AP report the case remains unsolved even though two suspects were identified in the days after the assault.
Boston councilors say temporary mail carrier threw out ballots
Two Boston city councilors say a temporary mail carrier was either suspended or terminated after allegedly throwing out ballots in South Boston. NBC 10 Boston’s Malcolm Johnson, Kirsten Glavin and Asher Klein report that the U.S. Postal Service pushed back on that claim, saying while an employee has been accused of mishandling mail, there were no ballots or ballot materials involved.
More from the NBC 10 trio: “Councilors Michael Flaherty and Ed Flynn had alleged that some mail-in ballots were never delivered to voters and were instead thrown out by a postal worker. They said they were told that the temporary mail carrier responsible has now been either suspended or terminated.”
Erased: WPI drops Foisie name after divorce settlement
Worcester Polytechnic Institute says it scrubbed all references to the late Robert Foisie, whose $63 million in donations made him the school’s largest beneficiary, from its business school and other buildings in accordance with a divorce settlement that claimed some of Foisie’s gifts were made improperly. Katherine Hamilton of the Worcester Business Journal has the details.
Cases of supply chain snarls
Supply chain issues have been a real pain all around and have costs businesses much needed profit after a bruising pandemic. Boston Business Journal’s Jessica Bartlett reports that in the case of Craig Panzer and Luis Espinoza, who were looking forward to opening Roundhead Brewery, supply chain snarls are costing them tens of thousands more.
And in case you missed this from last week, supply chain issues are hitting bookstores hard. Boston Globe’s Diti Kohli reports that bookstores are experiencing empty shelves as they wait for shipments to arrive.
Stabled: Sturbridge voters reject $25M horse track, racing center
Not so fast. Voters at a special town meeting in Sturbridge rejected a set of zoning changes that would have cleared the way for a developer’s proposal to spend $25 million to build an equestrian center and horse-racing track offering live, in-person betting and creating 100 jobs in the process, Henry Schwan of the Telegram reports.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Harvard graduate student strike ends after three days of picketing – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
Nation
Press secretary Jen Psaki tests positive for Covid – The Hill
Trump’s $300M SPAC deal may have skirted securities laws – New York Times
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