GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. PATRIOTS PLANE BRINGING SUPPLIES TO MASS. — A New England Patriots plane full of much-needed personal protective equipment from China is flying into Boston today, according to someone familiar with the plans.
Gov. Charlie Baker will greet the plane when it arrives at Logan Airport this afternoon with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Patriots owner Bob Kraft. From there, the National Guard will transport the equipment to a strategic stockpile in Marlboro, according to the person familiar with the plans. The move was first reported by POLITICO just after midnight.
For weeks, Baker has warned that Massachusetts is in desperate need of more protective equipment like masks, sanitizing wipes and gowns for health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, especially as cases are expected to surge sometime between April 7 and April 17. The state saw its largest spike in coronavirus cases on Wednesday - there were 1,118 new cases reported yesterday, and a total 7,738 cases. Baker has raised his concerns about protective equipment
with President Donald Trump. He told the president the federal government was outbidding Massachusetts on equipment, even after it advised states to work on getting their own supplies. A week later, the Bay State was still being outbid and had only received a fraction of what it requested from the Strategic National Stockpile. Baker grew increasingly frustrated, saying he'd seen confirmed orders for millions of pieces of gear evaporate before his eyes. So with Kraft's help,
it appears Massachusetts has found another way to get supplies. It wasn't clear last night whether Kraft or the state is paying for the protective equipment imported from China, and Baker's office did not respond to a request for comment. When he was asked about protective equipment during a press briefing in Worcester on Wednesday, Baker did not say much, but hinted at an announcement planned for Thursday.
"We've been working on a variety of processes and opportunities to make sure that we have the gear that we need to serve our medical community and our first responders," Baker said. "I think we're gonna have a lot more to say about gear tomorrow," Baker said. "I'm gonna leave it at that."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft greet a Patriots plane full of protective equipment at Logan Airport. Sen. Ed Markey and
state Rep. Liz Miranda host a joint livestream on the coronavirus and the federal stimulus and relief package. Rep. Katherine Clark holds a virtual conference on the CARES Act. Rep. Jim McGovern is a guest on WBUR. Rep. Joe Kennedy III talks to the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber via livestream. |
- "Boston Fed chief warns economic hit from coronavirus could last longer than expected," by Jon Chesto and Shirley Leung, Boston Globe: "Boston Federal Reserve Bank president Eric Rosengren said Wednesday that the economic shock from the coronavirus pandemic will be deeper and more protracted than once thought, and Massachusetts will feel the pain sooner than other states. Rosengren expects the US unemployment rate will rise
to at least 10 percent by the end of the second quarter, from 3.5 percent at the end of February." - "A measure to stop evictions starts moving on Beacon Hill," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "The state Senate is poised to vote soon on a bill that would stop many evictions in Massachusetts during the coronavirus crisis. But advocates for both tenants and
landlords say the legislation doesn't go far enough to deal with the challenges facing many renters." - "To mask or not to mask," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine:
"Gov. Charlie Baker, who is leading efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, doesn't see a need to wear a mask as he holds press conferences at the State House or travels around the state, as he did on Wednesday visiting a new field medical station in Worcester. 'I think the thing we're doing most of all is practicing social distancing. We almost never have meetings anymore. We have conference calls. This is about as close as I ever get to anyone,' he said, pointing on Monday to the man standing near him who translates his State House press conferences in sign language."
- "State budget writers are starting over," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "Massachusetts budget-writers started the process of crafting the Fiscal 2021 budget in December with a hearing with economic experts about the state's anticipated revenues. Four months later they're starting over with those same experts invited back to testify at a second revenue hearing next week. State revenues have been yet another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic."
- "Gun Parlor in Worcester shouldn't have been open due to non-essential businesses order, Gov. Charlie Baker says," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker said gun retailers were never deemed essential and was surprised to learn that some gun stores have remained open in Massachusetts despite his executive order closing non-essential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. 'They were open last week? They
shouldn't have been open last week,' Baker, a Republican, told reporters Wednesday afternoon." |
- "31 and sturdy, until coronavirus hit: Youngest Massachusetts victim to date succumbs," by Dugan Arnett and Nestor Ramos, Boston Globe:
"Of the four Rumrill brothers, Riley was always the extrovert. The 31-year-old Alabama native loved surrounding himself with people. Thursday nights were for bowling, and Sundays were for family, as he'd whip up a meal at his brother's Cambridge home. In addition to his work as a human resources generalist for Transdev in Boston, his family said, he occasionally drove for Uber, largely because it offered a chance to meet new people." - "Seaport convention center may become a coronavirus field hospital," by Tim Logan and Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "Boston's biggest convention hall could soon become a recovery ward for coronavirus patients. Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday suggested the cavernous Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the Seaport could be used to treat patients who are suffering from Covid-19, but aren't sick enough to require acute hospital-level care."
- "A critical number that is so hard to pin down: Are Massachusetts hospitals on track to being overwhelmed by coronavirus patients?" by Mark Arsenault, Boston Globe: "It is one of the key indicators of the spread of coronavirus and whether it will overwhelm our health care system: How many people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19? But right now it is impossible for the Massachusetts public to know this number, just weeks ahead of the projected peak of in-state coronavirus patients, in mid-April."
- "Massachusetts convenience store workers see pay boost during COVID-19 pandemic," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Convenience store clerks work round the clock, weathering rain, snow and now the coronavirus pandemic. Some of those workers in Massachusetts will receive raises or bonuses due to the state of emergency VERC, which operates 33 convenience stores and gas stations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire,
gave $500 bonus checks to full-time employees and $200 bonus checks to part-time employees." - "Temporary morgue set up at Fitchburg State University," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "A temporary morgue has been set up at Fitchburg State University as an emergency measure should additional deaths from COVID-19 overwhelm state mortuary services and its workers, state officials said Wednesday. Mortuary trucks, where bodies would be placed temporarily, have been set up outside the university's Carmelita Landry Arena,
the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said in a statement. - "Serious Crimes Drop In Boston As Nearly Everyone Stays Home," by Jenifer B. McKim, WGBH News:
"Serious crimes in Boston have fallen since the coronavirus shut down the city. So-called 'Part 1' crimes including rape and residential burglary dropped 15 percent overall in March compared to the same time last year, according to data released Wednesday by the Boston Police Department. The total number of such crimes, 1,067, is at its lowest level in more than a decade as many residents stay indoors, city data shows."
- "Moderna Is Manufacturing Its Potential Coronavirus Vaccine With Unusual Speed," by Callum Borchers, WBUR: "Cambridge biotechnology company Moderna is already manufacturing enough of its potential coronavirus vaccine to supply second and third phases of clinical trials — even though the first phase won't conclude until later this spring, CEO Stéphane Bancel said Wednesday." |
 |
WHAT CITY HALL IS READING |
|
- "Boston Council Approves (Largely Symbolic) Call For Rent And Mortgage Moratorium," by Simón Rios, WBUR:
"All but one of Boston's city councilors voted Wednesday to call for a moratorium on rents and mortgages — a symbolic move designed to pressure lawmakers at the state and federal level to take further action to protect renters and landlords. It was a second attempt to pass the resolution, which was scuttled last week when city Councilor Frank Baker blocked the emergency measure proposed by Councilor Ricardo Arroyo." |
|
PRIMARY SOURCES |
|
- "Joe Kennedy builds on his fundraising advantage over Ed Markey in first quarter of 2020," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com:
"Despite not actively fundraising for the last two weeks, Rep. Joe Kennedy III is building on his fundraising advantage over Sen. Ed Markey in the Massachusetts Senate primary race, according to figures from both campaigns. In a memo Wednesday afternoon to supporters, Kennedy campaign manager Nick Clemons announced that they had raised $1.95 million during the first quarter of 2020 and had a total of $6.2 million. Markey campaign manager John Walsh told Boston.com in a statement Wednesday night that the incumbent senator had raised $1.2 million and had $4.4 million in
cash on hand at the end of the quarter — roughly the same amount he had entering the year." |
|
ALL ABOARD |
|
- "MBTA subway, bus ridership continues to plummet," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Even fewer people are using public transportation as the novel coronavirus continues to spread rapidly across Massachusetts, according to the MBTA's latest data. For the week of March 29, subway ridership dropped to as low as 90% compared to the same week in February. Ridership
hovered around only 10,000 "taps or ticket insertions" at 64 gated stations across the transit system" |
|
DAY IN COURT |
|
- "All state trials in Mass. postponed until at least May 4," by Matt Berg, Boston Globe: "Continuing efforts to protect the public from COVID-19, the Supreme Judicial Court issued an order Wednesday postponing all state trials to May 4, at the earliest. The order came one day after Governor Charlie Baker extended his previous
order that limited gatherings to 10 people or fewer, also lasting until May 4." - "Closed-door hearing over inmate release for coronavirus concerns slammed," by Andrew Martinez, Boston Herald:
"Attorneys Wednesday questioned why a high-stakes argument over inmate releases amid the coronavirus pandemic was held behind closed doors at the state's highest court, an issue one prosecutor called too important to be done in secret. The Supreme Judicial Court hearing, which lasted over 4 hours, was held via closed telephone conference and an audio file was released late Tuesday afternoon, which cut off arguments by prosecutors and sheriffs opposing the releases before the technical issue was corrected." |
|
WARREN REPORT |
|
- "Elizabeth Warren Calls on Uber, Instacart to Reclassify Workers as Employees," by Edward Ongweso Jr., VICE: "In a letter to the CEOs of Uber, Instacart, DoorDash, and Grubhub, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on the gig companies to do something they've fought for years: providing gig workers with 'basic rights and protections' that might protect them during the COVID-19 pandemic. For years now, it
has grown increasingly difficult to ignore the precariousness of gig workers." |
|
FROM THE DELEGATION |
|
- "Keating To Mass. Small Businesses: Get Coronavirus Aid Fast, Before It's Gone," by Adam Reilly, WGBH News: "In a conference call with his congressional colleagues Wednesday, Rep. Bill Keating (D) urged small businesses in Massachusetts to seek relief via the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act as quickly as possible — warning that applications for much of the
available funding will processed in the order in which they're received." |
|
MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
|
- "Two employees of pot firm NETA test positive for coronavirus, making workers question protocol," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe:
"State marijuana regulators said Wednesday they are 'looking into' allegations that one of the state's biggest cannabis firms, New England Treatment Access, is failing to adequately protect its workers from the coronavirus, after employees at two of its facilities tested positive for COVID-19. NETA, best known for its popular Brookline dispensary, confirmed that a worker at its large cultivation and processing center in Franklin and another at its Northampton dispensary were diagnosed this week with the deadly, fast-spreading disease." |
|
ABOVE THE FOLD |
|
— Herald: "HARNESS PEOPLE POWER," — Globe:
"Against this enemy, youth wasn't enough," "A bleak outlook for Mass. economy." |
|
FROM THE 413 |
|
- "Gov. Baker launches investigation into Holyoke Soldiers' Home; veteran deaths rise to 15," by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "
Gov. Charlie Baker has announced the hiring of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, where 15 veteran residents have now died since March 25 amid a coronavirus outbreak. Baker's office said Wednesday that it has hired Mark Pearlstein, a private attorney who previously practiced as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston, to lead the investigation."
- "His grief mixed with anger, son watches father die at Holyoke Soldiers' Home," by Brian MacQuarrie, Boston Globe: "Patrick Plourde sat beside his father's bed Wednesday at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, his face and body covered in protective gear as he kept vigil for the inevitable. His 88-year-old father, a former Air Force master sergeant from Westfield, lay dying in a hospice ward — unconscious, on morphine, and showing symptoms of coronavirus, Patrick said in a phone interview as he watched over his father."
- "Area legislators happy with stimulus package," by Anita Fritz, Greenfield Recorder: "Members of the Western Massachusetts-North Quabbin legislative delegation say the $2 trillion federal stimulus package passed by Congress late last week is going to help Franklin County, its residents and its businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru, said Massachusetts is expected to receive about $2.67 billion to not only
help keep the state running but to aid communities from east to west that need help in dire times." |
|
THE LOCAL ANGLE |
|
- "DCU Center taking shape as COVID-19 field hospital," by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Telegram & Gazette: "Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Wednesday visited the operation underway to convert the first-floor convention space at the DCU Center into a 250-bed field hospital for the least serious COVID-19 patients who
would normally visit - and possibly overwhelm local hospitals during the pandemic." - "'No transparency, no plan' — Stoughton police unions fault chief amid department's outbreak of coronavirus," by Ben Berke, The Enterprise:
"The town's police unions harshly criticized the chief and her deputy in a letter to the town manager last week for an "utter failure" to protect the department's rank and file from the coronavirus, which has now infected at least two police officers and left several more in self-quarantine. The letter was dated March 26, the same day as Town Manager Robin Muksian Grimm's announcement of the cases within the department."
- "State offers more leeway on virus data," by Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "Earlier this week, many towns on the Cape stopped releasing the number of town residents who have tested positive for the new coronavirus. Health directors and town officials said this decision was the result of a conference call Friday with the state Department of Public Health in which they believed the state told them not to reveal this data out of concern for patient privacy." - "As revenues plummet, virus spreads, tensions rise," by Bill Kirk, Eagle-Tribune: "Ridership is down 80 percent. The front of all buses have been blocked off to passengers. And some drivers are dissatisfied with the way the transportation agency is cleaning the vehicles they drive. Other than that, things are going great at the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Agency."
- "Outdoor municipal workers being called back to jobs in Attleboro," by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: "With jobs beginning to pile up, Mayor Paul Heroux announced Wednesday he is bringing the city's outdoor employees back to work under strict health and safety guidelines. The move comes after consultation with some of the affected departments: parks, recreation, public works, water and wastewater as well as personnel and health." |
|
MEDIA MATTERS |
|
- "How a Boston Globe website started connecting those in need because of coronavirus with those who can help," by Hanaa' Tameez, Nieman Lab: "I'd been looking for a way to help people in my community when Boston.com (the free news site owned by The Boston Globe) launched Boston Helps, a service to connect people in need with people who are able to help. As local news outlets suffer blow after blow in this pandemic, Boston Helps is
a reminder that local news outlets are an invaluable resource in a person's day-to-day life." HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to state Rep. Frank Moran, Billy Jaffe, and Pete D'Agostino, partner at Tenax Strategies (h/t Victoria Ireton).
NEW EPISODE: SUFFOLK CLOWNS - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela, Jennfer Smith and Stephanie Murray talk about the Massachusetts Democratic Convention, which the party will vote to cancel, and a coronavirus tracking poll of Massachusetts residents. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and
Sound Cloud or watch the Zoom video. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how:
jshapiro@politico.com. |
| |
| Follow us on Twitter
|
| |
| Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM |
California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook |
Massachusetts Playbook
| New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook |
London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters |
| Follow us
| |
| |
| |
 |
POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington,
VA, 22209, USA |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.