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This email may be cut off by your email provider. To see today's full MASSterList, click "View entire message" at the bottom, or view the online version here. By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan 01/19/2021 Higher priorities | Just in case | Tax lien racket   Keller at Large     Lessons of the Trumpster fire   In his latest Keller at Large on MassterList, Jon Keller writes that Donald Trump's highly divisive and controversial presidency finally comes to a close in a day – and maybe it’s time everyone, including those in this bluest of blue state, consider how we got here and how we can move forward together, pro-Trumpsters and anti-Trumpsters alike. Keller at Large     Happening Today   Restaurant support and police reforms   -- Restaurant workers and Juliet co-owner Joshua Lewin hold pre-inauguration event to show support for the incoming Biden administration's proposed relief package that would provide support to restaurants, end the subminimum , wage and lift the minimum wage to $15 per hour, 21 Union Square, Somerville11 a.m. -- Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus holds its annual meeting via Zoom, with featured speaker LaTosha Brown, the cofounder of Black Voters Matter, 6 p.m. -- JP Progressives holds a virtual forum to discuss the debate around police reform efforts, with panelists including Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, Fatema Ahmad of Muslim Justice League, Rahsaan Hall of the ACLU, and Carl Williams, a movement lawyer, 7 p.m. 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.         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: 52 new deaths, 13,424 total deaths, 13,424 new cases   NECN has the latest coronavirus numbers for Massachusetts.     In case you missed us yesterday …   Check your inboxes from yesterday. MassterList did indeed publish over the holiday, covering subjects such as Gov. Charlie Baker’s vetoing key items in the transportation bill, pre-inauguration security measures at the State House, Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins on the U.S. attorney finalist list and more.         Just a precaution: National Guard troops bolster police as Biden inauguration nears   State officials stress there are no specific local threats of violence ahead of tomorrow’s presidential inauguration of Joe Biden – but, as a precaution, Mass. National Guard troops are now on standby to help the BPD and State Police if troubles arise in Boston, WCVB reports. WCVB     Biden’s choice to head SEC gets big thumbs up from Warren   Speaking of tomorrow’s presidential inauguration, the folks on Wall Street and the mutual-fund types in Boston may not be happy about this. But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is thrilled with President-elect Joe Biden’s pick of Gary Gensler to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, CNN reports. Meanwhile, private equity folks in Boston should be nervous as well. Warren has them in her regulatory sights too, Politico’s Zachary Warmbrodt reports. CNN     Good riddance or thank you, President Trump?   We’re still a two newspaper town in Boston, as evidenced this morning by two prominent pundits’ polar-opposite takes on the end of the Trump presidency. The Herald’s Howie Carr has a wet-kiss “Thanks for everything, Mr. President” column while the Globe’s Joan Vennochi wonders whether Joe Biden can ever “contain the flames lit by Trump.”     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.     One of Walsh’s main challenges as labor secretary: ‘It’s not FDR time’   As Joe Biden’s future labor secretary, Marty Walsh will be facing a host of public-policy challenges, among them reversing many of the Trump administration’s pro-employer policies. But there’s also the problem of Democrats holding only a slim majority in Congress. Meaning: “It’s not FDR time.” The Globe’s Katie Johnston explains. Boston Globe     Teachers, Blacks and others to state: Time to rearrange vaccination priority list   Switching to the pandemic, CommonWealth’s Sarah Betancourt reports that K-12 educators are pushing for teachers to be moved up on the state’s vaccination priority list, arguing that vaccinating teachers will speed up a return to in-person classes. Meanwhile, the Globe’s Hanna Krueger reports that hundreds of medical professionals are urging the Baker administration to start prioritizing Blacks, immigrants and others living in officially designated community hotspots for vaccinations. And the Herald has its own higher-priority suggestion: Food-supply workers. It’s not as if the administration hasn’t re-arranged the vaccination priority list in the past, as GBH’s Craig LeMoult reported earlier this week regarding visiting nurses.     State now tracking coronavirus among ‘commercial sex workers’   How did we ever miss this story from the other day? The Herald’s Joe Dwinell reports that the state, in its daily coronavirus testing report, is now counting COVID-19 cases among “commercial sex workers,” a potential “superspreader” category of workers. Boston Herald         MLK celebrations from around the state …   There were almost countless holiday events, speeches and words written yesterday about Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy. Here’s a sampling of MLK Day stories from around the state, starting with a WBUR: “'Stop Being Silent': On MLK Day, Boston Rallies Call For Racial Justice And Police Accountability.” ... From MassLive: “‘What are you doing for others?’: Springfield celebrates legacy of slain civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” ... From the Enterprise: “Brockton-area MLK celebrations go virtual.” ...From WCVB: “Hundreds of Mass. students honor MLK with service to community.” ... From the Telegram: “After turbulent year, call for rest, reflection at MLK breakfast.” ... From the Berkshire Eagle: “MLK Day may look different in a pandemic, but passion and service remain.”     MLK Jr.’s timeless thoughts on education   We thought our readers, many of whom work in education, would appreciate a piece in the Washington Post yesterday on Martin Luther King Jr.’s views on the importance of education in America. The first excerpt, written when King was still in college, shows his mind worked at a completely different level even when he was young. More than 70 years later, his elegant words remain applicable to our times. Washington Post     The municipal tax-lien racket: Legal larceny?   The Globe’s Sean Murphy has a pretty amazing story about how Massachusetts is one of only about a dozen states that allow private companies to take over municipal tax liens and then seek foreclosure – and potentially huge profits – against those who haven’t kept up with their property-tax payments. This sounds like something property-rights conservatives and help-the-little-guy progressives should be all over. It’s literally a public-private sectors racket. There are other (and more fair) ways for towns to collect unpaid tax bills. Boston Globe     Sponsored An investigative watchdog exposing corruption through filmmaking and unbiased reporting. Seeking to expose and report on Anti-Semitism and the BDS movement in America today, reversing the tide against hate. Dark Wire will bring you information and coverage you will not get anywhere else.     State pardon board recommends a murderer’s sentence be commuted   Not one commutation recommendation in six years? Anyway, from the Globe’s Shelley Murphy: “For the first time in six years, the state Advisory Board of Pardons is urging Governor Charlie Baker to commute a convicted murderer’s life sentence after unanimously concluding that Thomas E. Koonce deserves his freedom after spending 28 years in prison for the 1987 slaying of a New Bedford man.”     Is it asking too much for a little more transparency on Beacon Hill?   In an editorial, the Globe is backing the push by the progressive Act on Mass for more legislative transparency on Beacon Hill, a subject CommonWealth’s Shira Schoenberg was writing about last week.     A top priority for new Cannabis Commission: Press lawmakers for more diverse pot industry   Speaking of the legislature, the BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett reports that the Cannabis Control Commission, with three new members, is gearing up for a legislative push on Beacon Hill for policies that would make it easier for minorities to get a piece of the legalized marijuana market in Massachusetts. BBJ         UMass’s exclusive million-dollar club   The Herald has already taken its whack at the state’s 2020 payroll data. This morning it’s the Globe’s highest-state-earners turn – and it never ceases to amaze how much UMass administrators are paid, with two of them now topping $1 million a year.     Dead skunk found in Weston activist’s mailbox   This clearly stinks. From Nick Soico at the Globe: “A Democratic activist from Weston says her 22-year-old daughter found a dead skunk inside their mailbox Saturday morning, and she doesn’t believe the critter climbed in on its own. Mary Ellen Sikes, a former candidate for the town’s select board and an outspoken activist, said she believes somebody placed the deceased animal inside her family’s mailbox out of political retaliation.” Boston Globe     TCI opponents push other states to nix Baker-backed carbon tax   Citizens for Limited Taxation is back. And the old anti-tax group founded by the late Barbara Anderson is trying to counter Gov. Charlie Baker’s embrace of the Transportation Climate Initiative by appealing to other states not to go along with the carbon-tax idea, reports the Herald’s Erin Tiernan. Boston Herald         Mail it in: Rausch bill would make vote-by-mail a permanent option   The numbers don’t lie. Citing the record turnout in the November election, state Sen. Becca Rausch has filed legislation to make voting by mail a permanent option in Bay State elections, George Rhodes at the Sun Chronicle reports. The state’s GOP party chair is already signaling opposition.  Sun Chronicle     Scrubbed: Advocates hail police reform provision allowing record expungement   It’s a mixed bag. Justice advocates are hailing a provision of the recently passed police reform law that allows people with criminal backgrounds to have multiple charges scrubbed from their records, but say the bar to qualify for expungement remains high, Christian Wade at the Eagle-Tribune reports.  Eagle Tribune     Still painful: South Shore towns keeping close eye on T cuts   Leaders of South Shore cities and towns say they are relieved the MBTA has backed off some of its most drastic service-reduction plans. But they’re not totally relieved. Joe DiFazio at the Patriot Ledger has the details.  Patriot Ledger         Today's Headlines   Metro   Count Them Out: Here’s Who Isn’t Running for Mayor of Boston - Boston Magazine Framingham Teen Charged With Damaging Boston Police Cruiser Arrested At New York Airport - WBUR   Massachusetts   West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt declares racism a ‘health crisis;’ plans equity committee - MassLive ‘Surreal:' Rep. Jim McGovern reflects on past couple weeks, path forward - Telegram & Gazette Inspector General raises new questions about Hingham Housing Authority payments - Boston Globe   Nation   Biden to cancel Keystone XL pipeline in inaugural day action - New York Times Washington state announces partnership with companies including Starbucks and Microsoft to boost vaccinations - CNN       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 860-576-1886 for more information.   Recent postings to the MASSterList Job Board:   Director of Programs - new!, The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy Deputy Director - new!, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Data Strategist, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Central Transportation Planning Staff Executive Director, The Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC) State Contracting Policy Analysis Consultant, The Collaborative UTEC Policy Director, UTEC AIM Engagement Director- Central/Western MA, Associated Industries of Massachusetts Legislative Liaison, Department of Family and Medical Leave Director of Communications, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) Workforce Development Director, The Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC) Deputy Political Director, SEIU Local 509 Executive Director, Asian American Commission (AAC)   To view more events or post an event listing on Beacon Hill Town Square, please visit events.massterlist.com. Beacon Hill Town Square   Jan. 19, 1 p.m. Mindful Tuesdays Hosted by: The ROAR Webinar Series with Josefina Bonilla   The ROAR Daily Webinar Series is inspirational and aspirational. Join industry Leaders as we discuss Innovation & Leadership, Diversity, Inclusion & Equity, Corporate Social Responsibility & The Community, and the definition of success and the emergency of new leadership styles and techniques to stay connected, healthy and happy. All Webinars are complimentary. 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. 21, 6 p.m. Alex Zamalin - Against Civility: The Hidden Racism in Our Obsession with Civility Hosted by: Boston Public Library   Join the Boston Public Library in partnership with the Museum of American History for an online conversation with author Alex Zamalin moderated by MAAH Direcror of Education and Interpretation L'Merchie Frazier. This program is part of the BPL's Repairing America Series. More Information     Jan. 25, 12 p.m. Light, Land, and Water; Native and non-Native Visions of New England Hosted by: The Courtauld Research Forum   This lecture will attempt to honor diverse definitions of :landscape" by examining Wabanaki baskets and beadwork alongside canvases by New England painters such as Fitz Henry Lane and Martin Johnson Heade, It will raise questions about depictions (or embodiments) of natural resources, relationships between humans, and the environment and entanglements of Native non-Native histories. 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 k     Jan. 28, 6 p.m. Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings & James Dale - "We're Better Than This" Hosted by: Boston Public Library   Join the Boston Public Library for an online talk with distinguished political expert, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings and longtime non-fiction writer James Dale, co-authors of We're Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of our Democracy, primarily authored by the late Elijah Cummings. 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     Jan. 29, 12 p.m. Global Mobility and the Threat of Pandemics: Evidence from Three Centuries Hosted by: Harvard Kennedy School   Researchers at the Center for Global Development test predictions across four global pandemics in three different centuries: the influenza pandemics that began in 1889, 1918, 1957, and 2009. They find that in all cases, even a draconian 50 percent reduction in pre-pandemic international mobility is associated with 1-2 weeks later arrival and no detectable reduction in final mortality. More Information     Feb. 1, 12 p.m. Human Rights and the Future World Order Hosted by: Harvard Kennedy School and Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs   Speakers include Hina Jilanni, former United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders; Samuel Moyn, Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence, Yale Law School and Professor of History, Yale University; Zeid Ra'ad, Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights, University of Pennsylvania. 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. 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