GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
VACCINE OVERSIGHT HEARING TODAY — Top members of Gov. Charlie Baker's administration, and the governor himself, are set to testify at an oversight hearing on Beacon Hill today. State lawmakers plan to probe the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.
The all-virtual program, conducted by a new Joint Committee on Covid-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management, begins at 11 a.m. and is expected to end around 5 p.m. The hearing will be hosted on Microsoft Teams, and streamed on the legislature's website. Lawmakers say it will be the first of several over the coming months.
"We've definitely reached a crossroads where there's an obvious need for these types of oversight hearings because there have been so many problems, and people are very disappointed, frustrated and angry," Democratic state Rep. Bill Driscoll, a committee co-chair, told me.
The hearing will begin with testimony from the Republican Baker, followed by Tiffany Tate, the executive director of the Maryland Partnership for Prevention, which sold the state some of the software that led to a vaccine website crash. Lawmakers, health experts and others will offer testimony throughout the day.
The final group set to testify are Baker's lieutenants: Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel, and assistant commissioners Kevin Cranston and Jana Ferguson.
The governor's handling of the rollout has been the subject of frequent criticism from lawmakers, though it has not affected his approval rating yet. Subjects likely to come up are the initial slow pace of vaccinations, and Baker's decision to prioritize mass vaccination sites. Harvard Kennedy School experts first gave Massachusetts a failing grade for vaccine distribution, but just raised that ranking to a B.
"I'd like to understand the ways he is personally thinking about balancing speed with equity, I don't think they're mutually exclusive," state Sen. Jo Comerford, a Democrat who co-chairs the committee, told me. "I'd like to see the implementation plan that the Baker administration is using."
Expect Baker to tout the state's improved vaccination stats. Massachusetts has vaccinated more than 60 percent of residents over the age of 75, which is above the national average. The state ranked 10th in the nation last week for percentage of the population that has received a first dose of the vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And compared to states with a population over 5 million, Massachusetts comes in first.
"The legislature wants to be supportive in any way we can to improve this vaccine rollout," Driscoll said. "Whether that's through legislative means, or allocation of state and federal dollars."
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TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker will brief reporters on reopening the state's economy, then participate virtually in the National Governors Association winter meeting with President Joe Biden. Rep. Richard Neal is a guest on "Bloomberg Baystate Business." State Sen. Adam Hinds hosts a Facebook Live with Dr. Nahid Bhadelia. Candidate for state representative Juan Pablo Jaramillo is a guest on “Notorious in the Morning.” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh briefs reporters on Covid-19 at City Hall.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
– “Mean age of Massachusetts COVID cases, hospitalizations, deaths all go down as state reports 1,788 new cases, 60 deaths Wednesday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 1,788 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, which is based on 114,127 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 60 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 15,624.”
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
– “Dozens of physicians urge Mass. school leaders: 3 feet of distance between students is enough,” by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: “Three feet is enough. That’s the message from a group of more than 60 physicians, public health experts, and infectious disease specialists, who are urging Massachusetts education leaders to keep their guidance in place asking schools to have 3 feet of distance between students, rather than the 6 feet recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
– “Massachusetts Teachers Union says state push to fully reopen schools shows ‘callous disregard’ for health and safety,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “The Massachusetts Teachers Union wants state education officials to rethink a suggested plan that will push to get elementary school students back into classrooms five days per week in April as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.”
– “State Sen. Eric Lesser proposes legislation to require Mass. RMV to address out-of-state driving violations,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican: “State Sen. Eric P. Lesser, a Democrat from Longmeadow, has filed legislation that would require the Registry of Motor Vehicles to act promptly to suspend the license of a Massachusetts driver who has lost the right to drive in another state.”
– “Massachusetts House Democrats’ push for transparency attracts GOP support,” by Chris Van Buskirk and Sam Doran, State House News Service: “House lawmakers spent over an hour locked in a tense debate Wednesday afternoon on an unsuccessful transparency amendment to the Legislature’s 2021-2022 Joint Rules before ultimately adopting a rules package to govern interactions between the two branches that strips a few elements of the Senate’s proposed reforms.”
| VAX-ACHUSETTS |
– “Baker details $4.7m vaccine equity initiative, says 50,000 new vaccine appointments will go live Thursday,” by Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker’s administration on Wednesday announced it would spend $4.7 million on its new initiative to reduce barriers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts’ 20 hardest-hit communities, an effort that comes amid a push from elected officials, public health leaders, and activists for the Baker administration to prioritize equity in vaccine distribution.”
– “State reverses, allows some Massachusetts hospitals to schedule coronavirus vaccine appointments again,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Fifteen hospitals and health care systems will be able to resume scheduling new appointments for coronavirus vaccines after the state reversed course on its decision to slash their supply.”
– “Vaccinating Boston's Homeless Community Extends To Those Living On City Streets,” by Arun Rath and Amanda Beland, GBH News: “It's been about a month since those experiencing homelessness started getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. Dr. Jim O'Connell, president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, said his organization has vaccinated about 1,800 people since the vaccine became available.”
| FROM THE HUB |
– “‘We will be louder’: Black Economic Council makes hires, sets $2 million fund-raising goal,” by Anissa Gardizy, Boston Globe: “During the early days of the pandemic, the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts helped Black-owned businesses get personal protective equipment, advocated for equitable pandemic aid programs, and highlighted long-running disparities in the awarding of state contracts.”
– “Cambridge Police Lieutenant Investigated For Racist Tweets No Longer With Department, WBUR: “A Cambridge police lieutenant who was being investigated in connection to racist and violent social media posts is no longer working at the Cambridge Police Department, a spokesperson confirmed to WBUR.”
– “‘It was a panic’: Accident at construction site in downtown Boston leaves two dead, city suspends utility company involved,” by Danny McDonald, Charlie McKenna and John R. Ellement, Boston Globe: “Two workers were killed Wednesday at a construction site in downtown Boston after they were hit by a truck and knocked into a hole in the road, a grisly accident that horrified onlookers and left grief-stricken relatives crying out for answers.”
– “Covid tanked the Mass. economy. So where are all the bankruptcies?” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “At the pandemic's outset, lawyers geared up for an expected wave of bankruptcy filings. But business bankruptcies actually fell last year in Massachusetts. In fact, bankruptcy filings in Bay State courts are at their lowest level since 2006.”
| YOU'VE GOT MAIL |
– “Massachusetts House speaker backs making mail-in voting permanent,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “House Speaker Ronald Mariano told lawmakers Wednesday the chamber will move to extend the state’s expanded voting-by-mail law at least through June, with the goal of making it permanent after voters embraced it during Massachusetts’s record-setting elections last fall.”
| THE RACE FOR CITY HALL |
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “State Senator Julian Cyr Endorses Michelle Wu for Mayor of Boston,” from the Wu campaign: “State Senator Julian Cyr, Senate Assistant Majority Whip and Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, today announced his endorsement of Michelle Wu for Mayor of Boston.”
– “A $50 million cut to BPD’s budget? Campbell pitch shows police reform will be key issue in mayoral race,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Eliminating Boston police’s gang and bicycle units? No more school resource officers in the district? In a mayoral race where police reform promises to be front and center, City Councilor Andrea Campbell is considering these measures as she pushes for a fundamental rethink of how public safety works in the city.”
– “Candidates lining up for district races,” by Morgan C. Mullings, Bay State Banner: “As Boston gets ready for City Council President Kim Janey’s transition to acting mayor, candidates continue to enter the race for City Council district seats. District 4, currently held by mayoral candidate Andrea Campbell, sees the most challengers, and Districts 3, 5 and 7 have new contenders as well.”
| ON THE STUMP |
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley endorses Juan Jaramillo for State Representative,” from the Jaramillo campaign: “Juan Jaramillo’s campaign to represent Revere and Winthrop in the State Legislature received a massive endorsement from Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley a few days before election day on March 2nd. Jaramillo's campaign has raised $13,500 since Friday to total $68,000 since the campaign launched.”
| DAY IN COURT |
– “Ex-state Rep. Nangle pleads guilty to federal corruption charges,” by Alana Melanson, The Lowell Sun: In a U.S. District Court of Massachusetts virtual hearing Wednesday morning, just over a year from when he was indicted, Nangle pleaded guilty to a slightly reduced 23 fraud charges. The charges include 10 counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, four counts of making false statements to a bank and five counts of filing false tax returns.”
| WARREN REPORT |
– “Democratic senators ask Biden admin to create office focusing on reproductive health and wellbeing,” by Shefali Luthra, The 19th: “A group of Democratic senators is calling on the Biden administration to establish an Office of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing in order to ‘more holistically address ‘the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy,’’ according to a letter first shared with The 19th.”
– “Warren Has The Clout To Be President Biden's Biggest Progressive Ally — And Critic,” by Anthony Brooks, WBUR: “Just as she did when she was running for president last year, Warren is still pushing a number of progressive policies — from a wealth tax, to canceling student debt, to a $15 minimum wage. The difference now is that the Massachusetts senator has an ally in the White House.”
| FROM THE DELEGATION |
– “College athletes may see payday under Trahan bill,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “College athletes could get paid for the fame and notoriety they gain by playing sports under a proposal in Congress that would do away with longstanding rules that forbid compensation for collegiate sports.”
– “McGovern pushes for Equality Act, extending protections to LGBTQ,” by Jennifer Lord Paluzzi, Grafton Common: “Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern (D-MA) spoke on the House Floor urging passage of H.R. 5, Equality Act, a bill that would extend civil rights protections to all people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week .”
– “Lawmakers push regulators to reexamine compressor approval,” by Jessica Trufant, The Patriot Ledger: “Members of Weymouth's congressional delegation want federal regulators to reconsider their decision to allow the compressor station on the banks of the Fore River to go into service.”
– “Third stimulus update: Feds sending Springfield an estimated $90M in COVID relief, Worcester $106M, Boston $400M,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts cities such as Springfield and Worcester may receive more than $90 million through the American Rescue Plan’s $350 billion influx of COVID-19 aid to help state and local governments across the country recover from gutted tax revenues and layoffs brought on by the pandemic.”
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
— Herald: “TWO DEAD," "V-DAY,” — Globe: “‘It was a panic’ -- two men killed at construction site,” “Vaccine shows better results now on variants.”
| FROM THE 413 |
– “Inside a Battle Over Race, Class and Power at Smith College,” by Michael Powell, The New York Times: “This is a tale of how race, class and power collided at the elite 145-year-old liberal arts college, where tuition, room and board top $78,000 a year and where the employees who keep the school running often come from working-class enclaves beyond the school’s elegant wrought iron gates.”
– “Westfield State University, citing impact of COVID, announces tuition, fee freeze,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican: “Tuition and fees for most students at Westfield State University will be kept level for the 2021-22 school year to help students cope with financial challenges resulting from COVID-19, university officials announced Wednesday.”
– “Greenfield looks to expand community policing, increase transparency,” by Anita Fritz, Greenfield Recorder: “Looking to expand community policing and increase transparency with the public, the Police Department has created a new community resource officer position to make important connections, including with vulnerable populations and social service agencies.”
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
– “Select Board to interview three town manager finalists; King seeks more time to deliberate,” by Michaela Chesin, Wicked Local: “Three finalists in the search for Provincetown’s new town manager were announced during Monday night’s remote Select Board meeting. The three candidates are Jennifer Pinck of Provincetown, Kevin Hepner of Boston and Alex Morse of Holyoke.”
– “People reported hearing and feeling ‘booms’ in Peabody. No one knows what caused them,” by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: “Leslie Williams-Dunn was standing by her kitchen counter in Peabody Tuesday morning when she heard a loud, unsettling sound that caused her 25-year-old son to come rushing from his room.”
– “Officials share goal of returning kids to classroom — but wonder how,” by Julie Manganis, The Salem News: “Area school superintendents say they too want to see a return to full-time classroom learning, but they need support from the state to safely do so. ‘Our goal has consistently been to safely return as many students to in-person learning as possible,’ Peabody School Superintendent Josh Vadala said.”
– “Data shows discipline disparity by race in Falmouth schools,” by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: “In the 2019-20 school year, students of color made up 20.8% of the student body in Falmouth Public Schools. But those students accounted for 46.6% of school suspensions, according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”
– “SOS: 'Save our sports' -- Whittier Regional athletes halted at school gate as they try to shovel snow off field,” by Allison Corneau, Eagle-Tribune: “Shovels in hand, they were ready: Between 30 and 40 Whittier Regional High student-athletes from the football, soccer, volleyball and cheerleading teams, ready to shovel off the school's turf field. They said they had an answer to Superintendent Maureen Lynch's concerns about the cost of clearing snow from the field for practices and games during the Fall 2 MIAA season.”
– “Councilors ask manager to consider allowing bar-top dining at local restaurants,” by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Telegram & Gazette: “City Councilors Tuesday supported the idea of reintroducing bar-top dining at local restaurants. The restriction on bar-top dining has remained in place in the city due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while other communities have relaxed the restriction.”
– “Lowell official calls for School Committee member’s ouster after anti-Semitic slur on live TV,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “A top Lowell official is calling for the immediate resignation of a School Committee member who used an anti-Semitic slur Wednesday morning on a live public access television program, officials said.”
– “Former Mass. high school head football coach says his firing was a violation of free speech,” Boston.com: “A former Massachusetts high school head football coach has filed a federal lawsuit against three school administrators claiming that his termination was a violation of his First Amendment rights after he expressed concerns about the suitability of ‘coursework on politics, race, gender equality, and diversity’ for seventh graders.”
| MEDIA MATTERS |
– “Swampscott's intrepid reporter, Adam Reilly, talks politics, formative years,” by William J. Dowd, Wicked Local: “Advice from GBH reporter Adam Reilly to aspiring journalists: ‘Do the opposite of what I did.’ And by that, he means: Learn and build different skills from writing for a school newspaper and establishing a podcast to snapping photos.”
TRANSITIONS – Democratic campaign strategists Mindy Myers, Tracey Lewis and Sarah Callahan Zusi are launching a new women-led media consulting firm called MZL Media. Link.
– Former House Speaker Paul Ryan joins Boston firm Solamere Capital as a partner. Tweet.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Jack Dew.
NEW EPISODE: SOCIAL DISTANCING STUDIES – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray discuss the state’s push for in-person learning, and discuss the House race to fill former Speaker Bob DeLeo’s seat with GBH’s Tori Bedford and the Boston Herald’s Lisa Kashinsky. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
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