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New temporary status for Venezuelan migrants signals relief for Healey, amid complaints lobbed at DC

It can’t be any fun to want to be a loyal backer of President Biden, only to look at the ground and realize you are standing on quicksand. Such has been the situation of Gov. Healey, who is watching the migrant crisis suck the oxygen out of her administration, and whose primary option is to complain. Then […]

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Environmental review on Hanscom Field expansion for private jets in Massachusetts incoming

Environmentalists want to put a plan to expand capacity at Hanscom airport for private jets — which are among the most egregious polluters — on standby. A review process of environmental concerns is about to kick off this fall. Developers selected by Massport to build out the half-million-acre project that includes 27 hangars for private aircraft […]

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Hurricane Lee mostly misses Massachusetts but hits surge pricing in rideshare apps

Hurricane Lee may have spared Massachusetts for the most part, but Uber and Lyft drivers say the storm dealt them another kind of blow not visible on radar.  Surge pricing was cut off in rideshare apps on Friday afternoon when Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s anticipated punch. State law forbids ride apps to charge […]

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New construction in Massachusetts still has natural gas hookups, despite movement to ban fossil fuels

As attention turns to electrifying the power grid in an effort to wean the state off natural gas dependence and meet mid-century emissions goals, developers say the time for natural gas has still not passed. Massachusetts is rolling out a major initiative to retrofit existing homes and buildings — the second-biggest polluters after fossil-fuel-guzzling planes, trains and […]

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Officials want feds, not Bay Staters on hook for costs to house, feed thousands of incoming migrants

A top House lawmaker said his chamber is bracing for an eventual spending bill to cover the growing costs of delivering emergency shelter and services to an increasing number of legal immigrants and families in need of support. It’s a “multibillion-dollar question,” Milton Rep. William Driscoll told MASSterList, referring to how much taxpayers from Massachusetts […]

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Massachusetts criminal justice system ‘failing’ young adults, bill would treat offenders 18 to 21 as juveniles

Society has deemed adults must mature to at least 21 before they can legally smoke, drink, gamble and buy guns but when it comes to the criminal justice system, adults “age in” at the ripe age of 18. A new Senate committee is exploring the impacts of keeping older teenagers and emerging adults in the juvenile justice […]

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Massachusetts law doesn’t always recognize parental rights for same-sex, non-traditional mothers and fathers

Lawmakers have returned to action from their summer slumber with plenty on their plates. But if history is any indication, progress is likely to be slow for the thousands of other bills up for consideration this session — which formally ends next August.  One bill that Truro Sen. Julian Cyr said should see action this […]

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Cannabis reform aims to level playing field for Massachusetts businesses who don’t want to pay to play

Come November, the Cannabis Control Commission will roll out new regulations meant to lend the commission more control over local host agreements between cities and towns and marijuana businesses, cap impact fees communities can assess on businesses, allow for social consumption sites and remove barriers to entry for people with criminal records. Host community agreements and the […]