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By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan 01/07/2021 Day of infamy | She was there | By the busloads       Happening Today   Governor’s Council swearing in, Cape pandemic update, and more   -- The eight members of the Governor's Council, including new central Massachusetts Councilor Paul DePalo, take their oaths of office today. -- State Sen. Julian Cyr and other members of the Cape Cod Reopening Task Force hold a media availability to discuss rising coronavirus case numbers and efforts to contain COVID-19 in Barnstable County, 9 a.m. -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel will join other officials to mark the significant progress made to address polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in New Bedford Harbor, 11 a.m. -- The Massachusetts House and Senate are scheduled to meet at 11:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m., respectively. For the most comprehensive list of calendar items, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available), as well as MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.     Sponsored Taxing Drinks by Sugar Content Reduces Consumption by 25% The facts on sugary drinks are simple. They pose a real health risk. Kids especially are drinking too many of them. All those sweet drinks contribute to major health problems, like diabetes and heart disease. And with Massachusetts already spending nearly $2 billion per year treating obesity-related diseases, we need to address the problem. Massachusetts should take a page from a growing number of places across the country and adopt a tax on sugary drinks. Learn how a sugary drink tax would improve the health of Massachusetts.     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.     The coronavirus numbers: 99 new deaths, 12,563 total deaths, 6,419 new cases   WCVB has the latest coronavirus numbers for Massachusetts.     The Republic still stands   The only encouraging things to emerge from yesterday’s disgraceful mayhem in the nation’s capital? Congress ultimately performed its constitutional duty by confirming Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election (NYT) – and President Trump later said he’s committed to an “orderly transition” of power (Globe.) Frankly, we’re taking the second piece of encouraging news with a huge grain of salt, for it’s hard to believe anything that comes out of the president’s mouth at this point. Think we’re exaggerating? Read this Washington Post piece on the president’s actions and rhetoric before, during and after yesterday’s chaos.         Local reactions to our latest day of infamy   Yesterday’s mob assault on the nation’s Capitol building is almost beyond disturbing and surreal. But local officials and citizens did find ways to react in their own ways. Here’s a sampling of some of them: From CBS Boston: “‘Terrifying And Heartbreaking’: Boston Residents Emotional After Capitol Riots.” From the Globe: “Democrats call for Trump to be removed from office after mob stormed US Capitol/Either by impeachment or invoking the 25th amendment” From SHNS: “Baker: Chaos in Washington ‘Sad But Predictable’” From the Herald: “Lynch says Trump ‘instigated’ protesters who stormed Capitol; Pressley, Moulton, Clark, Markey among those calling for president’s removal.” From MassLive: “Massachusetts congressional lawmakers shelter in place during U.S. Capitol breach.” From WCVB: “Rep. Moulton: 'This is what you expect to see in a banana republic'” From MassLive: ‘This is what the president has caused’; Pro-Trump riot at US Capitol is an ‘insurrection’, says Sen. Mitt Romney From MassLive: “US Rep. Richard Neal on Capitol siege: ‘I thought they were coming through the door of my office’” From CBS Boston: “Rep. Keating: There Will Be Accountability For Capitol Protests” From the Globe: “Protesters demonstrate against pro-Trump extremists in Boston” From GBH: “Following Unrest in D.C., Massachusetts Activists Plan To Protest Every Day Until Biden Is Inaugurated.” From the Berkshire Eagle: “Berkshire officials condemn chaos in Washington as ‘horrifying’” From the Gazette: “Northampton demonstrators stand for democratic process as Congress is stormed.”     She was there: Globe reporter recounts wild events as they unfolded yesterday at the U.S. Capitol   The Globe’s Jazmine Ulloa was right in the thick of it yesterday in Washington, sitting with other reporters in the U.S. Senate press gallery when the mayhem erupted at the Capitol. It’s all here: The first shocking reports, the evacuation, running into rioters in hallways, the escape to a secure location, the general surrealness of it all. Boston Globe     Sponsored The return of thoroughbred racing in Massachusetts would create as many as 1000 jobs. It would provide tax revenue to the Commonwealth and preserve our historic agricultural and horse breeding culture. For more than 85 years, the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association has advanced the sport of horseracing and the preservation of our rural way of life. Please support Sports Betting at a Racetrack Facility with an Online Mobile App. Help restore thoroughbred racing with NO taxpayer support.     They went to D.C. by the busloads …   Think yesterday’s protest chaos in the nation’s capital was mostly the doing of those from other states? Think again. Universal Hub reports on the busloads of local people who traveled to D.C. to rally around their leader who claims he won the presidential election even though he lost. Meanwhile, Louis Murray was writing at the Herald before yesterday’s events why he was proudly traveling to D.C. as a Trump supporter. Think he’s proud now? Universal Hub DIANA PLOSS! Local white supremacists joined the seditious mob in Washington today By adamg on Thu, 01/07/2021 - 12:03am Keiko Zoll reports that among the Trumpists in Washington hoping to watch the Reichstag burn today was Diana Ploss, the angry screaming lady with the iPhone whose specialty is getting in people's faces to try to provoke them - like parents with little kids at BLM rallies. Also making an appearance at the putative putsch: NSC-131, "a neo-Nazi group based in New England, with members in Mass, NH and Maine." Massachusetts Trumpies, including Sue Ianni of Natick, organized six buses down to DC, which left from West Springfield, Newton, Plymouth, Worcester, Franklin and Concord, NH, at $75 a seat. https://www.universalhub.com/2021/local-white-supremacists-were-scene-washington     Just for the record: Dems take control of U.S. Senate   Amid all of yesterday’s violent chaos in Washington D.C., it should be noted that Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won yesterday’s dramatic U.S. Senate races in Georgia, giving Democrats effective control of the U.S. Senate, according to the NYT. NYT     Biden to name Merrick Garland as next U.S. Attorney General   Deval Patrick didn’t get it. But someone with close ties to Harvard University and Harvard Law School did. President-elect Joe Biden plans to announce that Merrick Garland, a federal appeals court judge who in 2016 was snubbed by Republicans for a seat on the Supreme Court, will be his new attorney general, according to a CNN report. CNN         Legislation that passed during the final hours of session: Food delivery caps, beer distribution deal, ‘Laura’s Law,” ride-share rate hikes   Switching over to comparatively sane state news, the Globe’s Matt Stout and CommonWealth’s Shira Schoenberg have summaries of the final hours of the last legislative session and what did and didn’t pass. But if you want to get down to specifics, check out the stories below about legislation passed by lawmakers, beyond the approved transportation-bonding and economic-development bills previously reported yesterday on MassterList: -- From the BBJ’s Lucia Maffei “Mass. lawmakers OK statewide cap on food delivery fees.” -- From SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall): “Beer Lobby Feeling Good After All-Nighter/Distribution Bill Makes It To Baker's Desk.” -- From SHNS’s Chris Lisinski (pay wall): “Laura’s Law” Governing Health Care Signage Reaches Baker.” -- From MassLive’s Jim Russell: “House approves Senate bill abolishing Hampshire Council of Governments, pay agency debts including $5.8M pension liability.” -- From the Globe’s Adam Vaccaro: “Legislature hikes Uber, Lyft fees in last-minute deal.”     The legislation that didn’t pass: UI rate relief and third casino study   A lot of bills passed in the hectic final hours of the last legislative session that ended yesterday morning. But some key proposals didn’t pass. Here’s two of them not previously reported on MassterList: -- The BBJ’s Greg Ryan reports lawmakers failed to address Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to provide unemployment-insurance rate relief for beleaguered employers. Christian Wade at the Gloucester Times reports employers are hoping lawmakers can pass some sort of relief as soon as possible in the new session. -- SHNS’s Colin A. Young (pay wall) reports that lawmakers, besides not passing legalized sports betting, also scrapped plans to have the Gaming Commission take a look at a possible third casino license in Massachusetts.     Out with the old, in with the new: Legislators start new session   At least the transfer of power runs smoothly in Massachusetts, unlike in the nation’s capital. Only hours after finishing the last two-year legislative session, Beacon Hill lawmakers convened yesterday (often virtually) to swear in members and to start the new legislative session – rituals that included the re-election of Karen Spilka as Senate president and Ron Mariano as House speaker. SHNS’s Chris Lisinski and Katie Lannan and CommonWealth’s Bruce Mohl and Shira Schoenberg have more.     Mass. tax collections continue to go … up?   They were supposed to go down, but they keep going out. CommonWealth’s Bruce Mohl reports that state tax revenues “continued to be remarkably resilient in December,” rising 8 percent above last year’s pre-pandemic level. For the first six months of the current fiscal year, revenues are up 2.7 percent. This wasn’t supposed to happen during the pandemic. But we’ll take it. CommonWealth         Marathon bomber sues Colorado supermax prison for $250,000   Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is attempting to sue the federal government over what he calls “unprofessional” treatment at the supermax prison in Colorado where he’s serving multiple life sentences, reports Joe Dwinell at the Herald. Boston Herald     Ex-City Hall aide convicted of corruption wins release from prison due to COVID-19 outbreak.   He’s out. John Lynch, who was convicted of taking $50,000 in bribes from a developer while he worked as an aide at Boston City Hall, has been released from a federal prison in Devens due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility. He will spend the rest of his 40-month sentence in home confinement, reports Universal Hub and the Globe’s Danny McDonald.     Developer buying Fenway’s Landmark Center for eye-popping $1.52B   The office and retail real estate sectors have taken it on the chin during the pandemic. But one subsector of commercial real estate is alive and well, thank you: Life-sciences. And yesterday Alexandria Real Estate proved it by plunking down $1.5 billion to buy the Landmark Center (i.e. the old Sears complex in the Fenway), with plans to redevelop the complex into a life-science hub, as the Globe’s Tim Logan reports.         Here’s a unique law firm name without all the names: ‘Summit Health Law Partners’   The BBJ’s Greg Ryan reports on one law firm’s decision to forgo the tradition of naming itself after some of its past and current bigwig partners. After another firm lured away eight of its attorneys (including a named partner), Boston’s Barrett & Singal PC decided to rebrand itself “Summit Health Law Partners.” It’s a seemingly small change, but it does say much about the quickly changing law profession in general. BBJ     Not so fast: Hamilton delays enforcement of mandatory composting rule   The rollout was a bit rotten. Hamilton officials say they will delay until May the enforcement of one of the state’s first mandatory municipal composting programs after acknowledging the holiday-season unveiling of the rules left a lot to be desired, Julie Manganis at the Salem News reports.  Salem News     Cut to the chase: Springfield seeks quick court answer on police commission   A years-long standoff could end quickly. Springfield officials have asked a Superior Court judge to rule quickly on whether Mayor Domenic Sarno is required to comply with a City Council ordinance ordering him to appoint a new Police Commission, Peter Goonan at MassLive reports. The council has twice passed an ordinance. MassLive         Today's Headlines   Metro   Boston zoning official who took bribes freed under coronavirus concerns - Boston Herald Brockton mayor lifts order closing businesses - Brockton Enterprise       Massachusetts   Salem Mayor to give state of the city address remotely - Salem News Affordable homes project for Great Barrington gets green light - Berkshire Eagle Aquinnah looking to get COVID vaccines ‘for everyone’ - Martha's Vineyard Times   Nation   Black voters powered Democrats to victory in the Georgia Senate runoff - Washington Post Sanders says Trump is ‘directly responsible’ for Capitol siege - Business insider   Jobs   Reach MASSterList's 22,000 Beacon Hill connected and policy-minded subscribers with your job postings. Have friends interested in one of these positions? Forward the newsletter to them! Contact David Art at dart@massterlist.com or call 617-992-8253 for more information.   Recent postings to the MASSterList Job Board:   Executive Director, Asian American Commission (AAC) Program Manager VI, Department of Housing and Community Development Vice President (Labor Communications), 617MediaGroup Diversity and Inclusion Manager, City of Brockton   To view more events or post an event listing on Beacon Hill Town Square, please visit events.massterlist.com. Beacon Hill Town Square   Jan. 12, 2 p.m. Breathless in Boston: An Exploration of Lung Function in the Era of COVID-19 with Dr. Christopher Fanta, MD Hosted by: Boston Public Library and Beacon Hill Village   Join the Boston Public Library in partnership with Beacon Hill Village for this online program. Dr. Fanta will take us on a tour of how our lungs work in health and disease, including strategies to keep our lungs healthy and strong throughout our lives. Dr. Fanta will discuss several issues relating to the lungs including the special effects of COVID-19 on lung function. More Information     Jan. 13, 6 p.m. The New Administration: Opportunities and Challenges Hosted by: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum   Panelists including Lisa Lerer, reporter at the New York Times, and Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and CNN Political Analyst, discuss opportunities and challenges for the incoming administration as well as reflections on the significance of the Biden-Harris victory in 2020 elections. NBC News Correspondent Harry Smith moderates. More Information   Jan. 13, 7 p.m. It Came From Space: Why We Think an Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs with Jesse Mason Hosted by: Northville District Library and Plymouth District Library   In 1980, a team of scientists discovered something astonishing in Earth's crust: evidence of a cataclysmic impact that coincided with the extinction of three of Earth's plant and animal species. More Information     Jan. 14, 9 a.m. Recover Boston: The Road Ahead - Economic Issues in 2021 Hosted by: Boston Business Journal   As the country looks ahead at the days when a vaccine will be available to wider parts of the community and as a new administration gains its foothold in Washington, D.C., a distinguished panel of business leaders will discuss the issues they're expecting in 2021. What will economic recovery look like in Greater Boston? How will businesses move forward safely? More Information     Jan. 14, 1 p.m. Making a Ruckus: Volunteer Managers as Activists for Change Hosted by: VolunteerNow   Explore strategies to create a new path forward for volunteer engagement in your organization in these changing times. VolunteerNow is collaborating with TVMC to offer free professional development webinars to provide guidance, networking and practical ideas to help you move forward during these challenging times. Upon registration you will receive instructions to join the webinar via WebinarJAM. More Information     Jan. 14, 2 p.m. A League of Their Own: The Future of Network Partnerships Hosted by: Verizon   Verizon is unveiling the 5G network's potential for venues with features like real-time access to video highlights, screening of multiple angles, instant updated stats and fantasy scores on players, and immersive fan experiences. Having just been named the official technology partner of the NHL, Verizon is paving the way for the future of network partnerships. More Information     Jan. 14, 2 p.m. How to Pivot Your Small Business During Covid-19 Hosted by: Virtual Minority Small Business Conference and Expo   The Covid-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for small businesses in the Boston area and all over the country. Consumer habits have changed and small businesses have to be able to adapt to the new dynamic. Join Beth Ann Dahan, Project Manager for COVID Business Recovery as she shares ways that you can pivot your small business and survive during difficult times. More Information     Jan. 15, 2 p.m. How to Pivot Your Small Business During Covid-19 Hosted by: Virtual Minority Small Business Conference and Expo   The Covid-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for small businesses in the Boston area and all over the country. Consumer habits have changed and small businesses have to be able to adapt to the new dynamic. Join Beth Ann Dahan, Project Manager for COVID Business Recovery at CWE as she shares ways that you can pivot your small business and survive during difficult times. More Information     Jan. 16, 3 p.m. Harriet Tubman & Maryland's Underground Railroad Sites-Livestream History Tour Hosted by: Washington D.C. History & Culture   Join us for an online/virtual tour of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad sites in Maryland/ Learn how Harriet successfully escaped from slavery and how she then heroically led others to freedom. The program is hosted by Robert Kelleman, the founder/director of the non-profit community organization Washington, DC History & Culture. More Information     Jan. 20, 6 p.m. Lost Wonderland: The Brief and Brilliant Life of Boston's Million Dollar Amusement Park Hosted by: Boston Public Library   Stephen R. Wilk, author of Lost Wonderland, will discuss the story of Wonderland's creation and wild, but brief success which is full of larger-than-life characters who hoped to thrill attendees and rake in profits. More Information     Jan. 21, 8:30 a.m. 2021 Economic Outlook Hosted by: Boston Business Journal and CIBC Commercial Banking   Join the Boston Business Journal and CIBC for an expert look at the latest information concerning global, national and regional trends impacting the economy. The 2021 Economic Outlook will offer unique access to economic insights from world-class experts and professionals to help translate economic trends into competitive intelligence to grow your business and find opportunity in the coming year. More Information     Jan. 21, 1:30 p.m. Live Chat with Google Product Manager Hosted by: Product School   Join in and get all your product questions answered during our online event with Neil Joglekar, Product Manager at Google. He is a product manager at Google where he leads teams to improve consumer experience. He is also a YC founder. More Information     Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Human Trafficking 101 Hosted by: The Key2Free   The Key2Free is committed to education and increased awareness with the goal of preventing trafficking before it starts. Across all states, victims of sex trafficking are enslaved every day through force, fraud, or coercion. Together, we can call attention to and fight the shocking realities of the injustice happening right here in our communities. More Information     Jan. 27, 12 p.m. Malcolm Gladwell and the New Normal after COVID-19 Hosted by: Arent Fox LLP   Join Arent Fox for a one hour virtual event with Malcolm Gladwell, the celebrated journalist and best-selling author of Tipping Point, Outliers, and Talking to Strangers, who will talk about life after COVID-19. There will also be a Q&A with Arent Fox Partner Anthony V. Lupo.Malcolm Gladwell and the New Normal after COVID-19 JAN 27 2021 12:00 PM Hosted by: Arent Fox LLP Online Event www.eventbrite.com/e/malcolm-gladwell-and-the-new-normal-after-covid-19-tickets-132113604347?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch Join Arent Fox for a one hour virtual event with Malcolm Gladwell, the celebrated journalist and best-selling author of Tipping Point, Outliers, and Talking to Strangers, who will talk about life after COVID-19. There will also be a Q&A with Arent Fox Partner Anthony V. Lupo. More Information     Jan. 28, 2 p.m. lo T in Sports: Changing the Game Hosted by: Verizon   Join us as we hear from industry experts about the integration of lo T in the world of live sports, how major leagues like the NFL are utilizing wearable technology and connected devices, what features fans can expect from stadiums as they become more connected, and how 5G & MEC are changing the game for years to come. More Information     Jan. 28, 6 p.m. Community Read Book Group: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Hosted by: Boston Public Library   Let's read together! Join your friends, family and fellow Yearlong Reading Challenge participants at the Boston Public Library as we discuss the January Community Read for adults: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. The discussion will be moderated by a librarian and will take place on Zoom. More Information     Feb. 2, 2 p.m. Social Media for Government Agencies and the Public Sector: Everything You Need to Know but are Afraid to Ask, a Digital CP Hosted by: Harvard Kennedy School   Come learn the basics of the Social Media platforms and how you can use them effectively to achieve your goals. Whether you're a Tik Tok influencer or just learned that the symbol # isn't a "pound sign". This workshop is open to all levels. More Information   How to Contact MASSterList     For advertising questions and Beacon Hill Town Square submissions, please email: dart@massterlist.com. For Happening Today calendar and press release submissions, please email: news@statehousenews.com. For editorial matters, please email: editorial@massterlist.com.   MASSterList, 568 Washington St, Wellesley, MA 02482