Thanks for letting me drop into your inbox these last two weeks. We've covered a lot of ground: the Full Massachusetts, Dry January and burning stuff. Your regular newsletter captain, Nik, will be back next week to kick off your morning. Until next time, friends. Gift of life: New England saw a record number of life-saving organs transplanted from local donors last year. New England Donor Services said they coordinated 1,692 transplants from 640 deceased donors in the region. That's an 8% increase in transplants from 2024. - Cutting edge: The increase is mostly thanks to innovations in medical technology that have made more organs eligible for transplant. "There are devices that have now been brought into this field and into this space that enable the utilization of these organs," New England Donor Services' Alexandra Glazier told WBUR's Dan Guzman. "Whereas in the past, [those organs] might not have been appropriate for transplant."
- Want to be an organ donor? (Not now, but, you know, when your time comes.) You can register as an organ donor anytime through the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Typically when applying for or renewing your license, you'll be asked about organ donation. You can also register online through RegisterMe.org.
Dems to MN: U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House, announced last night that a contingent of her colleagues are going to Minneapolis. They're planning to hold a hearing today on the fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good. "Democrats are demanding a full and fair investigation into her death," the Massachusetts congresswoman said in a video. "We are heading to Minneapolis to hold a hearing to get transparency and answers." The FBI is solely leading the investigation into the shooting and shutting out state investigators, going against past practice. - Meanwhile, President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to send in troops to suppress protests in Minneapolis. The last time the act was invoked was in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots.
Cuts back: Addiction and mental health treatment providers are picking up the pieces after the Trump administration abruptly cut $2 billion worth of grants nationally — then changed course 24 hours later and kept the funding in place. Boston Health Care for the Homeless interim CEO Dr. Denise De Las Nueces said the week has been an emotional rollercoaster. "I am feeling incredibly demoralized," she told WBUR. "It is reassuring, of course — incredibly so — that the funding has been restored. But I'm bracing for a challenging year ahead." - Radio silence: Some providers are still waiting for word that the funding is back on. Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley told WBUR's Fausto Menard that as of yesterday afternoon she still hasn't received confirmation that the funding her office gets for addiction treatment is coming. Until she hears back, she's not providing the group counseling or recovery coaching the five-year $2.6 million grant covers.
Legacy building: Move over, Red Sox. There's another big opening day on the calendar this spring. The city's new professional soccer team, the Boston Legacy, will kick off its season on March 14 at Gillette Stadium against reigning National Women's Soccer League champions Gotham FC. (I'll see you there?) The Legacy released its full schedule yesterday. - Not quite Boston proper: The Legacy will have eight home games at Gillette in Foxborough, and seven at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket. Most of those Rhode Island games are in July, when Gillette will be hosting the men's FIFA World Cup.
- Home field advantage: By next season, the Legacy should have a permanent home at White Stadium in Boston's Franklin Park. The city and the Legacy are teaming up to rebuild the stadium — though how much it'll end up costing is still up in the air. Wu's office says the total cost will be known by "early 2026." As of last month, they said, the city has dedicated $88 million to the project — $12 for demolition, and with another $76 million in subcontracts already awarded.
P.S. — Western Mass. lawmakers want more support to maintain which body of water? (You'll know the answer if you've been reading the newsletter this week.) Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of the stories we covered this week. |
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