| Today's News |
| | | Reminder to readers: SHNS Coronavirus Tracker available for free | | | A reminder to our readers as the coronavirus crisis unfolds: The paywalled State House News Service, which produces MASSterList, is making its full Coronavirus Tracker available to the community for free on a daily basis each morning via ML. SHNS Coronavirus Tracker. | | | |
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| | | The coronavirus numbers: 2 new deaths, 8,438 total deaths, 338 new cases | | | SHNS has the latest coronavirus numbers for Massachusetts. | | | |
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| | | Boston’s Hybrid Hopscotch Hybrid School Reopening Plan | | | It’s described as a “first draft.” We have a feeling a second draft will be forthcoming soon. The Globe’s James Vaznis and WBUR’s Carrie Jung and WGBH’s Tori Bedford all take a stab at trying to describe the preliminary reopening plan outlined yesterday by the Boston Public Schools. Warning: It gets a little confusing. The Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter reports on a simpler option out there: “Boston City Councilors push for all-remote schools.” And it seems Worcester is also going for a more simplified plan, via MassLive’s Melissa Hanson: “Worcester Public Schools considering remote learning for first term of new school year.” | | | |
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Sponsored Massachusetts voters are ready for big changes in transportation. They have dealt with delays, dirty air, and congestion for long enough. And new research shows that they are willing to pay for solutions. To support economic recovery and prepare for a stronger future, let’s lead the way with bold progress on transportation. It’s Our Move, Massachusetts. |
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| | | Two more colleges have an epiphany: Reopening campuses is probably not a good idea | | | The Globe’s Deirdre Fernandes reports that two more local colleges, Smith College and Regis College, have decided to reverse course and are now going full-remote this fall, rather than partially reopening campuses. We expect more colleges to follow suit, willingly or unwillingly. See Keller at Large item above. But Universal Hub reports one university is doubling down on its reopening plans, damn it: “Boston University goes to 24-hour ventilation, finer filters and lots of fans to reduce coronavirus inside its buildings.” Meanwhile, there’s always the hotel option. Also from Universal Hub: “Emerson to rent most of the W Hotel for student housing.” Boston Globe | | | |
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| | | New Hampshire up in arms over Mass.'s plan to tax remote workers | | | N.H. Gov. Chris Sununu and lawmakers, Democrats and Republicans alike, are almost beside themselves at the thought of Massachusetts actually taxing residents who have escaped the Bay State to remotely work in the Granite State, where there’s no income tax. The Union Leader’s Michael Cousineau has the outraged details. Union Leader | | | |
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| | | Rhode Island: Alone, so alone | | | Speaking of our New England neighbors, Rhode Islanders are slowly coming to grips with the fact the rest of the nation, or at least their Northeast neighbors, don’t want anything to do with them. The Boston Globe and the Providence Journal report on the effective quarantining of Rhode Island due to its rising coronavirus numbers. We will say this about Rhode Islanders: At least they can, and do, laugh at their own foibles. Cynicism is part of their endearing and ingrained nature. | | | |
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| | | For Fauci, telling the truth is a dangerous career hazard | | | If he isn’t getting hazardous pay, he should. From Marilyn Schairer at WGBH: “Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, said Wednesday that he and his family have received death threats because of his high-profile role in battling the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Getting death threats for me and my family and harassing my daughters to the point where I have to get security is just, I mean it's amazing," Fauci said during a virtual forum at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.” WGBH | | | |
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| | | The calm before the storm? | | | The Globe’s Felice Freyer and Kay Lazar report hospital officials are nervously, very nervously, monitoring rising coronavirus case numbers, fearing a second surge may be on the way. It’s still too early to go to red alert but ... Boston Globe | | | |
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| | | Newton’s third law confirmed: As hospitals lose money, Blue Cross plans to give away money | | | Newton’s third law that for every action (“Massachusetts hospitals bleeding money” – CommonWealth) there is an equal and opposite reaction (“Blue Cross Delivering $101 Mil in Refunds” -- SHNS) has been curiously confirmed during the pandemic. The former, btw, is the result of non-virus patients forgoing elected medical procedures during these COVID-19 times. | | | |
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Sponsored Carole Copeland Thomas In honor of August being National Black Owned Business Month, MASSterlist is proud to partner with the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) to highlight local Black businesses all month. Today, we’re highlighting Carole Copeland Thomas, a consultant, speaker, trainer, global thought leader since 1987. She has her pulse on the issues affecting working professionals and industry leaders. You may contact her at 508.947.5755 or read her blog http://www.tellcarole.com/caroles-blog Carole Copeland Thomas |
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| | | Isaias’s aftermath: Tens of thousands still without power, Springfield declares an emergency | | | As of earlier this morning, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported that about 42,000 customers, most of them in western Massachusetts, were still without power as a result of widespread damage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias. And it’s not just in rural areas. From Douglas Hook at MassLive: “Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announces emergency declaration due to power, cell phone and water outages.” The storm has also hobbled Amtrak’s service between Boston and NY, as Universal Hub reports. | | | |
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| | | ‘Tremendous irony’: Boston police paid $5.8M in overtime to handle anti-police protests | | | This isn’t how defunding was supposed to go. From SHNS’s Chris Van Buskirk: “The City of Boston delivered nearly $5.8 million in overtime pay to police in connection with shifts associated with the wave of protests in May, June and July where thousands gathered to object to police brutality and systemic racism, the News Service has learned.” Btw, another irony (sort of), via Stephanie Leydon at WGBH: “Activists Demanding Police Accountability Have An Unlikely Ally.” Meanwhile, from SHNS Chris Lisinski (pay wall): “Senators Protest Elimination of Rarely Used SWAT Unit.” SHNS (pay wall -- free trial subscription available) | | | |
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| | | Long memory: Moulton’s Pelosi challenge becomes debate flashpoint | | | They remember. It’s been nearly two years since U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton briefly took part in an attempted coup against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but his challengers in this year’s Democratic primary sure haven’t forget. Ethan Forman at the Salem News reports the issue arose during a debate Wednesday when the question of encouraging women to pursue careers in politics was asked. Meanwhile, the Patriot Ledger's Mary Whitfill reports U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch and his primary challenger Robbie Goldstein covered plenty of ground in their own socially distanced debate. Salem News | | | |
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| | | ‘Sabotage?’ Galvin, others slam decision to curtail Census count | | | They just got started. Secretary of State William Galvin is among state officials slamming a decision to cut short the door-to-door part of the 2020 census count, Christian Wade reports at the Eagle-Tribune. Live counting just commenced in the state last month and will now end on Sept. 30, a month earlier than originally planned. Eagle Tribune | | | |
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| | | Survey: At least 315,000 teetering on the brink of eviction | | | If and when eviction moratoriums expire, it’s going to be a mess if the economy hasn’t improved. From SHNS’s Chris Lisinski: “More than 315,000 Massachusetts tenants have little to no confidence that they will be able to pay rent in August, according to survey data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, a figure that one group said indicates as many as one in three renter households could soon face eviction.” SHNS (pay wall -- free trial subscription available) | | | |
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| | | Good enough: Foxboro board backs Gillette plan for Patriots home games | | | Let ‘em in. Foxboro Selectmen say they’re comfortable with the plan that the Kraft Group have laid out to allow as many as 14,000 fans into Gillette Stadium during Pats home games this fall, Jeff Peterson at the Sun-Chronicle reports. Of course, in the end, the final call will come from the governor. Sun Chronicle | | | |
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| | | Harvard Square landmark Mr. Bartley's Burgers is up for sale | | | Owner Bill Bartley says the pandemic isn’t entirely to blame, but the pandemic is clearly partly to blame for his deciding to put Harvard Square mainstay Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage up for sale. Boston Restaurant Talk has the details. Boston Restaurant Talk | | | |
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| | | The pandemic has helped at least one local company: Wayfair | | | The BBJ’s Lucia Maffei reports on one local company that’s doing well during these pandemic times: furniture e-retailer Wayside Inc., which, for the first time ever, has posted a profitable quarter. It’s lucky it did. Wall Street was all set to pounce if it had reported a loss during a lockdown almost tailor-made for e-retailers. BBJ (pay wall) | | | |
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| | | Media meltdown update: Boston Magazine and NBC Sports Boston slash staffs | | | Back to pandemic-era economic casualties, the Great Media Meltdown continues, with Boston Magazine (BBJ) and NBC Sports Boston (Globe) the latest media outlets cutting their payrolls amid tough advertising times. | | | |
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| | | Moderna confirms: It’s going to charge a heck of a lot for its Covid-19 vaccine | | | Assuming it develops an effective COVID-19 vaccine, Cambridge’s Moderna has confirmed it’s miracle product won’t come cheap. In fact, it could be one of the most expensive vaccines out there, reports the BBJ’s Allison DeAngelis, who has the numbers. BBJ (pay wall) | | | |
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| | | T eliminating plastic-vs-paper fare differentials | | | Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports that the T, which has seen its ridership plunge during the pandemic, plans to eliminate the different fare prices passengers are charged when using reusable plastic CharlieCards versus paper CharlieTickets or old-fashioned paper cash. Two words: Good riddance. The confusing fare system made one almost pine for long-ago tokens. Btw: Boston Magazine’s Spencer Buell has a confession to make: He’s buying a car. And it’s partly because he and his wife just don’t feel safe on public transit these days. CommonWealth | | | |
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