GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish Friday, July 3 or Monday, July 6. The newsletter will be back in your inbox Tuesday, July 7. In the meantime, get in touch: smurray@politico.com. I hope you have a wonderful and socially distant holiday!
THE FOURTH OF JULY WILL BE DIFFERENT — It seems small now, but it was a big deal back in March when elected officials were debating whether to cancel Boston's annual St. Patrick's Day parade as the coronavirus pandemic began to hit the state. Then came the decision to postpone the Boston Marathon, and to ultimately cancel it. By May, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh had canceled large parades and festivals for the entire summer to prevent the spread of the virus.
And heading into the holiday weekend, the Fourth of July will look a lot different in Massachusetts than it has in years past.
Perhaps the biggest change: The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is moving online, a major shift for the orchestra concert and fireworks show that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Charles River Esplanade each year. The show actually set a world record when half a million people attended the annual event in 1998.
Fireworks displays are still technically allowed in Massachusetts this year, but most cities and towns have followed Boston and canceled their displays. Municipalities can hold fireworks shows as long as viewers do not get together in groups to view them, Boston.com reported last week.
One central Massachusetts town, North Brookfield, had planned to go ahead with its Fourth of July celebration, but postponed it after a dramatic back-and-forth between the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Health, the Telegram & Gazette reports. Officials also raised concerns that media attention would draw crowds from out of town.
But some Bay Staters might not miss the fireworks this year, because they've seen — and heard — plenty of do-it-yourself fireworks shows already. At-home fireworks are technically illegal here, but that doesn't stop people from buying them in other states, especially neighboring New Hampshire.
Boston's fireworks problem exploded in June — there was a 5,543 percent increase in fireworks complaint calls to the Boston Police Department last month. The city even launched a new task force to "address the increase of illegal fireworks," and Attorney General Maura Healey sent a popular New Hampshire fireworks retailer a cease and desist letter to stop advertising in Massachusetts. In June, the state flashed a "WARNING! FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL" message on some highway signs.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Rep. Richard Neal speaks to reporters about "recent legislative achievements" in Springfield.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
– “After a day with no reported coronavirus deaths, Massachusetts announces 28 new COVID-19 fatalities, 261 cases,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts health officials reported 28 new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 8,081. Officials also confirmed another 261 cases of the virus, including 104 probable cases. There are now at least 109,143 cases of the virus in Massachusetts.”
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
– “Senate pushed to pass transpo revenue package,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Massachusetts Senate, widely considered a bastion of liberalism on Beacon Hill, suddenly finds itself being pushed and prodded by all sorts of progressive groups to follow the lead of the more business-friendly House and raise taxes and fees to support transportation. The House passed a more than $500 million tax and fee package to support transportation in early March, and then watched as the bill stalled in the Senate in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.”
– “No time for coronavirus ‘victory lap’ ahead of phase 3, Charlie Baker says,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Coronavirus is on the retreat in Massachusetts, but Gov. Charlie Baker warns against taking a ‘victory lap’ as the state prepares to enter the third phase of reopening its shattered economy. ‘Our biggest concern here in Massachusetts is that we take a victory lap. There are no victory laps from COVID,’ Baker told reporters on Wednesday.”
– “Huge vote-by-mail expansion because of virus leaves clerks in Mass. girding for onslaught,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “A bill that would allow every registered voter in Massachusetts to cast their ballot by mail this year is on the verge of final legislative approval, offering what lawmakers and advocates say are sweeping but necessary changes to help ensure votes aren’t smothered by the coronavirus pandemic.”
– “More than 100 Massachusetts school committees demand state pay for COVID supplies,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “More than 100 school committees across Massachusetts have passed resolutions in recent weeks imploring the state to cover all costs districts will incur next school year protecting students, staff, and others from the coronavirus. The school committees are passing identical resolutions seeking full state reimbursement for all COVID-19 related costs, including masks and other personal protective equipment and additional teachers, bus drivers, and other staffers who might be necessary so students can practice social distancing in small groups.”
– “Lawmakers, union want to pause MCAS tests,” by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Daily News: “Amid the disruption to schools caused by the coronavirus outbreak, a renewed push is underway to put the brakes on MCAS testing. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, which has long sought to ease the state's standardized testing requirements, is lobbying hard for bipartisan legislation that would impose a four-year moratorium on the MCAS and suspend the requirement that students must pass the exam to graduate.”
– “Baker defends recommendation on next Holyoke supt,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday rebuffed members of the state’s congressional delegation who called for an independent investigation of the Chelsea Soldiers’ Home and defended his decision not to embrace one of the key recommendations in a report examining what went wrong at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home and caused the death of 76 veterans.”
– “State scales back contact tracing program,” by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: “As the number of new coronavirus cases drops, the state is scaling back a program that tracks down people at risk of infection. In April, the state teamed up with the Boston-based nonprofit Partners in Health on an initiative to trace contacts of people with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Gov. Charlie Baker touted it as a first-in-the-nation program that was critical to slowing the spread of the virus.”
– “Phantom Fireworks to snuff out Bay State mailers after AG launches ‘cease and desist,’” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Phantom Fireworks says it won’t advertise its explosive wares in Massachusetts anymore after AG Maura Healey slapped the company with a ‘cease and desist’ letter — though the pyrotechnics company couldn’t resist shooting back at the Bay State’s restrictive laws.”
– “Massachusetts voters may face questions on ranked-choice voting, telematics access for car shops in November,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Two campaigns made a final push to get their proposed questions up on the Nov. 3 ballot in Massachusetts, submitting signatures to the state by Wednesday’s deadline. If approved, voters will face ballot questions addressing ranked-choice voting and access to a vehicle’s telematics data.”
– “Farley-Bouvier bill would extend CARES Act stimulus to undocumented immigrants,” by Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle: “While the federal CARES Act sent stimulus checks to millions, undocumented immigrants and their families were left out of that cash injection. A bill co-sponsored by state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier aims to close that gap in Massachusetts. The bill seeks to ensure those groups can receive the $1,200 per adult and $500 per child that they did not receive under the CARES Act.”
| FROM THE HUB |
– “Inside Moderna: The Covid Vaccine Front-Runner With No Track Record and an Unsparing CEO,” by Peter Loftus and Gregory Zuckerman, Wall Street Journal: “At the year’s start, few outside the world of biotech had heard of a Boston-area company with a New Age name and unproven approach to drugmaking. Most in the industry who did know Moderna Inc. doubted its prospects. Investors barely had interest in the company, which had yet to produce a medicine.”
– “A 2015 audit of the BPD turned up various issues with the department’s overtime system. Were any of them corrected?” by Dugan Arnett and Maggie Mulvihill, Boston Globe: “The issues were right there, spilled across the few dozen pages of a 2015 report. Commissioned by the city shortly after Mayor Martin J. Walsh took office, the audit of the inner workings of the Boston Police Department revealed a number of concerns involving the use and allocation of overtime. Among them: that there appeared to be few mechanisms in place to monitor overtime spending.”
– “Rollins forming racial ‘Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission,’” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins is forming a “Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission” with an eye on healing longstanding racial tensions in Boston over issuers such as the busing crisis and the Charles Stuart case. ‘We need to confront our ugly past to create a more just and equitable future,’ Rollins insisted in a live-streamed press conference with fellow progressive district attorneys.”
– “This program matched Boston firms with Black contractors. What went wrong?” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “Since 2018, Pacesetters companies have given the minority-owned businesses in the program just $5.8 million worth of business, an average of about $118,000 per supplier over two years, according to data provided by the chamber. That counts only those suppliers that have won work; a significant number have come up empty so far.”
– “Somerville recognizes polyamorous domestic partnerships,” by Julia Taliesin, WickedLocal: “On June 29, Somerville quietly became one of the first cities in the nation – if not the first – to recognize polyamorous domestic partnerships. The historic move was a result of a few subtle language shifts. For example, instead of being defined as an ‘entity formed by two persons,’ Somerville’s ordinance defines a domestic partnership as an ‘entity formed by people.’”
| PRIMARY SOURCES |
– “Kennedy, Markey locked in tight money race,” by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: “Senator Edward J. Markey and Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, battling for the Democratic nomination for US Senate, each raised roughly $1.9 million during the quarter that ended June 30, according to their campaigns. Both men ended with similar amounts left in the bank as well .”
– “Dems vying for Kennedy seat take in over $2.6 million for campaigns,” by Ted Nesi, WPRI: “Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss remains the fundraising leader in the Democratic primary to replace Congressman Joe Kennedy III, while progressive Ihssane Leckey has jumped to the financial front ranks, according to numbers disclosed by the campaigns. In response to a survey by WPRI 12, six of the nine Democratic candidates reported raising a combined $2.66 million during the second quarter, suggesting the total amount raised for the Sept. 1 primary is now approaching $7 million since the campaign began last year.”
– “4th District candidate drops out,” by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: “Nick Matthew, a Democrat candidate for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by Joseph Kennedy III, has withdrawn from the race and endorsed Ihssane Leckey from Brookline. Matthew did not get enough signatures to appear on the Sept. 1 primary ballot.”
| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
– “Charlie Baker responds to report that feds initially downplayed coronavirus to Massachusetts officials,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Gov. Charlie Baker has vented about some of his office’s ‘difficult’ interactions with President Donald Trump’s administration during the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak. But in the wake of a new report Wednesday that showed federal officials privately downplayed the threat of the coronavirus to Massachusetts, the governor said he was hesitant to assign blame, amid swirling uncertainty about the nature of the virus.”
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
— Herald: “DREAMIN' BIGLY,” — Globe: “Expansion of mail-in votes could bury clerks," "Despite questions, police OT soared.”
| FROM THE 413 |
– “No simple roundabout dispute,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “It was supposed to be a routine road safety project to add a roundabout and sidewalks at a dangerous intersection near a Northampton grocery store. Instead, the project by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has spawned a lawsuit and public fight, with a 10,000-year-old Native American archaeological site at its center.”
– “Springfield meeting uproar: City Clerk swears, says shut up as police commissioner speaks,” by Stephanie Barry and Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “It was a Zoom gaffe for the books at a Springfield City Council budget hearing on Monday. ‘Aw, bitch, shut the f--- up,’ came a drawling voice as Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood had just remarked that police morale was at an all-time low given the cultural climate following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer during a May 15 arrest.”
– “Grassroots organization formed to advocate for Holyoke Soldiers’ Home ‘rebrands’ with new name,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “A grassroots organization formed to support the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke in the wake of a deadly coronavirus outbreak there has changed its name and has a new web address. The group, made up of former Soldiers’ Home executives, veterans, family members of veterans and supporters, was launched after the COVID-19 disaster claimed the lives of 76 residents there and sickened dozens more.”
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
– “The Master Thief: “Skinny, with deep-set brown eyes, Murphy was a typical Patriots fan. He pronounced ‘cars’ as ‘cahs,’ got his coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, and had a mullet and a horseshoe mustache, at least when his girlfriend didn’t make him clean up. He moved furniture for a living in Lynn, Mass., a down-and-out suburb on the North Shore, and on Sundays, when he could get tickets, he made the 40-mile drive south to Foxborough to root for the Pats.”
– ‘We are kept waiting;’ Worcester NAACP branch continues petition for changes after failed attempt to cut police budget,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “After a failed attempt to decrease the Worcester Police Department budget and following some pushback to a Board of Health proposal to address issues of systemic racism, the Worcester Branch of the NAACP says members are frustrated. ‘It has now been more than 30 days since the horrific murder of George Floyd. And still we wait,’ the branch wrote in a statement issued Wednesday.”
| MEDIA MATTERS |
– “The 2020 New England Muzzle Awards: Spotlighting 10 Who Diminish Free Speech,” by Dan Kennedy, WGBH News: “At a moment of national crisis over racism and police brutality, it is depressingly apt that our lead New England Muzzle Award this year concerns an African American teacher in Milton, Massachusetts, who was briefly placed on leave and investigated for telling her sixth-grade poetry students that some police officers are racist.”
– “Longtime Celtics writer Steve Bulpett part of latest round of Boston Herald layoffs,” by Jenna Ciccotelli, Boston.com: “Steve Bulpett, who has covered the Celtics both at home and on the road longer than anyone in franchise history, announced Wednesday that he has been laid off from The Boston Herald. Bulpett, a North Shore native with roots in Lynn and Swampscott, was in his 35th season of covering the Celtics.”
TRANSITIONS – Joe Rull joins Benchmark Strategies as senior vice president, and MJR Consulting moves under the Benchmark name.
– The Jewish Vocational Service and the Boston Center for Adult Education have merged.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Melwood Global’s David Guarino, Josh Cahan, and U.S. Army Captain Chuck Nadd.
HAPPY (LONG) BIRTHWEEKEND – to lots of Playbookers:
July 3 - state Rep. Mark Cusack, Barbara Lee, president and founder of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation; and Ted Steinberg, congressional staffer and writer for Rep. Brendan Boyle, who turns 26 (h/t Dan Kagan).
July 4 - Chris Ingerson, and the late Massachusetts governor and President Calvin Coolidge, who was born on July 4, 1872.
July 5 - Pat Beaudry, Christian Greve, and Boston.com alum Chris Caesar.
July 6 - former state Sen. Richard Ross, Jake Oliveira, Tyler Pager and Dave Eisenstadter.
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.
POLITICO Magazine Justice Reform: The Prison Conditions Issue, presented by Verizon: The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the difference between “inside” and the rest of society. With crowding, inadequate funding and inconsistent medical care, prisons have become hotbeds of the outbreak ― with a heavy cost also paid on the outside. POLITICO Magazine's second Justice Reform package looks at movements to improve prisons and how the epidemic has affected them. READ THE FULL ISSUE.
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