Ticking clock for resistant MBTA Communities, and four other stories

 

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THE SATURDAY SEND

Welcome back to the Saturday Send, a weekly digest of stories from CommonWealth Beacon that you may have missed. This week, options are narrowing for municipalities that want to avoid rezoning under the MBTA Communities housing law. Jennifer Smith explains a recent court ruling against a group of towns and tees up the special Town Meeting in Milton set for Monday.  Plus: A push for more transparency in ballot campaign spending, a second life for a former artistic works space in new Bedford, and lawmakers grapple with hemp regulation.  Check out those stories below, and as always, thanks for reading. — The CommonWealth Beacon team

Town Meeting vote on MBTA Communities looms for a divided Milton by JENNIFER SMITH The clock is ticking on Milton’s chance for compliance with MBTA Communities, with the planning board and residents still divided heading into a special Town Meeting on Monday. READ MORE

A push for more transparency on ballot question spending, fundraising by GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS Good government advocates are looking to legislation in order to close a loophole that allows high-spending ballot question committees to go for an eight-month period without reporting their fundraising and expenditures. READ MORE

New Bedford building poised to rise as artist space — again by Michael Jonas A former downtown department store in New Bedford, which housed studios for UMass Dartmouth’s arts college for more than 20 years, was bought by an arts nonprofit that plans to return it to use in the creative economy. READ MORE

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House cannabis bill targets intoxicating hemp edibles, but critics warn enforcement gaps will remain by Bhaamati Borketaria The cannabis reform bill passed last week by the House would, among other things, explicitly ban the sale of intoxicating-hemp edibles, while clearing the way for intoxicating-hemp beverages to be sold at licensed liquor stores. READ MORE

Could the Trump administration’s border policies affect 2026 World Cup tourism in Massachusetts? by Gintautas Dumcius The World Cup is coming to Massachusetts in 2026, with $1.1 billion in economic activity in tow. But lurking in the background is the mood generated by what’s happening at the US border. READ MORE

Job Board Executive Director — Beverly Bootstraps Foundation Manager – PART TIME Contract — Mass Mentoring Partnership Operations Associate — Mass Mentoring Partnership Burner Service Technician — Haffner’s Advertise Your Job Listing

The Codcast: New Episode Coming Monday at 6am! Jennifer Smith interviewed Doug Howgate, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, to break down the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget. Missed last week's episode of The Codcast? This week on The Codcast, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd sits down for a wide-ranging interview with CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith. They discuss trust in the judiciary, the role of the trial courts and the SJC, and if independence feels more achievable for state courts than the federal bench. LISTEN NOW

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