| 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. |
It's Thursday. We get back to something that's a little closer to spring-like temperatures today — good weather for a bike ride. Wheel deal: Bluebikes prices are going up slightly today for certain rides. The fare increases are part of a new five-year contract announced this week between the Boston-area bikeshare network's operator, Lyft, and its 13 participating municipalities. But the deal is mostly good news for Bluebikes fans. The new contract sets the stage for further expansion of a system that's already expanded a lot lately — with more electric bikes and a presence in more communities. Here's what to know: - The fares: The first change riders will likely notice are small fare hikes. They take effect today, according to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, which managed the contract process. The increases are aimed at "casual riders," while the prices for those who sign up for an annual membership remain the same. For non-members, the unlock fee for a single trip up to 30 minutes is going up just 5 cents to a flat $3. The price of a day pass with unlimited rides is going from $10 to $11.99. And the additional per-minute rate for e-bike rides is rising by nearly a third, from 25 cents to 33 cents, for non-members.
- The bikes: The contract calls for hundreds more of the pedal-assist e-bikes that have surged in popularity since they were first introduced in 2023 . (Despite being more expensive, ebikes are being used more than twice as often as the classic bikes as of this past January, according to the MAPC.) Bluebikes will roll out another 100 ebikes by the end of April. By the end of the year, the MAPC spokesperson said the plan is for at least 20% of the overall fleet to be ebikes. (There are currently around 5,300 bikes total.) And the contract includes a goal of getting that percentage to 33% in the coming years, which would mean more than 2,000 ebikes in the fleet.
- The stations: All those ebikes need time to charge. Up until now, that has meant Lyft employees driving around and picking them up in vans to bring the bikes to a charger. But under the new contract, Bluebikes will begin installing the system's first charging docks, located at high-ridership stations. Officials say the charging stations will mean more ready-to-ride ebikes, fewer van trips and better efficiency in general. In total, the plan calls for over 200 new and replacement stations.
- What's next: Another first in the contract is that cities and towns that joined the Bluebikes system after 2017 will no longer have to pay monthly operation fees. (The system now pays for itself!) That could make it easier to expand to even more municipalities. There's already one in the pipeline: Quincy. After getting a state grant last year, Quincy aims to start construction for the new docks this fall and have "bikes on the road" by summer 2027, according to city spokesperson Lisa Aimola.
On campus: Soon-to-close Hampshire College confirmed yesterday that all students will now be allowed to return for one final semester this fall. Initially, that option had only been offered to students in or entering their last year. - Why? The initial policy left hundreds of Hampshire underclassmen scrambling to figure out plans for the coming fall, since many transfer deadlines for other schools have already passed. Hampshire College President Jenn Chrisler said in an email that the change "will provide additional time for students unable to complete their degree at Hampshire to consider a wider array of potential transfer options and timelines," as The Boston Globe first reported.
PSA: A person infected with measles passed through Logan Airport last week. According to Boston health officials, anyone in Terminal C between midnight and 2:30 a.m. on April 14 could have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. The infected traveler was on a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. - If you never got the measles vaccine and were potentially exposed, health officials recommend monitoring for symptoms and avoiding public places until May 5.
North of the border: The company that owns TD Garden is looking to build a casino at one of New Hampshire's largest hotels. The Boston Business Journal reports Delaware North plans to move the Gate City Casino into Nashua’s castle-like Sheraton hotel (both of which are owned by Delaware North). South of the border: Plans to redevelop part of East Providence's waterfront as a port facility for the offshore wind industry have been paused, following the Trump administration's freeze for offshore wind permitting. Now, local leaders are looking to redevelop it as a port for other purposes. P.S.— As tourists pour into the Bay State this summer, we want your ideas for the "most Massachusetts" thing they should experience while here. From must-see landmarks to more offbeat options, submit your suggestions here. |
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| | | Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters | | |
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A change in the Canada's laws has prompted a rush of Americans to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. Since the new law took effect on Dec. 15, 2025, immigration lawyers in the United States and Canada say they have been overwhelmed by clients seeking help submitting citizenship applications. Read more.
FWIW: NO PUFF PIECE THAT RE-WRITES HISTORY CAN BE POSTED WITHOUT AN ADDENDUM! IMHO IF REPUBLICANS DIDN'T LIE, NO ONE WOULD ELECT THEM!
BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS TO VOTE FOR A MASS GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE - SCRUTINIZE THEIR RECORDS!
THERE HAVE BEEN SJC DECISIONS THAT LIMIT COOPERATION WITH IMMIGRATION THAT KENNEALY IS TOO LAZY TO RESEARCH!
KENNEALLY and the REST OF MASS GOP IGNORE ICE GESTAPO ABUSE, INJURIES, KILLINGS, KIDNAPPING AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS SUCH AS BREAKING DOWN DOORS TO ENTER HOMES WITHOUT WARRANTS! HOW MANY HAVE TO DIE IN ICE GESTAPO CUSTODY THAT MASS GOP IGNORE? TRUMP IS FIRING IMMIGRATION JUDGES TO DENY DUE PROCESS!
It was reported that 75% of those in MASSACHUSETTS SHELTERS were Massachusetts RESIDENTS - NOT IMMIGRANTS!
ICE GESTAPO are NOT deporting DANGEROUS CRIMINALS! THIS IS PROPAGANDA AND LIES! CHECK DHS FACTS!
ICE GESTAPO ARE SIGNING 14 YEAR LEASES ON WAREHOUSES THAT ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HOUSE PEOPLE - LACK OF BATHROOMS, LACK OF CLEAN WATER, DRAINING LOCAL FACILITIES - THEY ARE BEING OPPOSED ACROSS THE NATION! FOR PROFIT ABUSE!
ICE GESTAPO FUNDING WAS INCLUDED IN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL DISASTER AND COST YOU HEALTHCARE, FOOD FUNDING, FIRED 30,000 GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES SO THAT GOVERNMENT NO LONGER WORKS!
MIKE KENNEALY : JUST ANOTHER REPUBLICAN HACK IGNORING FACTS TO JUSTIFY CRITICISM! |
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Mike Kennealy hails from the moderate era of Republicans in Massachusetts. After a career in private equity, he worked for two terms under former Gov. Charlie Baker and has a track record closely tied to the former governor. Kennealy also had a hand in some Baker-era policies that have since become controversial in the party. Read more. excerpts: Like his Republican opponents, Kennealy argues the state’s economy is floundering, and promises to cut regulations that he says hinder business growth. He also pledges to cooperate with federal authorities to remove “criminal illegal immigrants” from the state and to cut back on spending to assist migrants. But on other key political issues, like abortion rights, Kennealy is more moderate. He says “women should make their own decisions,” a position that distinguishes him from one of his Republican rivals, Minogue. Both men are Catholic, but Minogue describes himself as “pro-life” and suggests he’d push for alternatives to abortion. Another Baker administration policy that’s come under scrutiny is the MBTA Communities Act, which was signed into law in 2021. The statute requires municipalities near transit hubs to allow zoning in at least one district for multi-family housing. “We have to find a way for local and state law enforcement to work with ICE. I support having more of these 287(g) agreements,” he said, referring to deals that allow local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. |
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Three Massachusetts counties have some of the cleanest air in the country, according to the American Lung Association. But experts say that wildfire smoke and federal rollbacks threaten to undo decades of public health gains. Read more. |
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MUST READ! Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced tough questioning as he caps off seven hearings on the Hill in as many days. It's the first time he has testified before Congress since September. Read more.NOTE: GLYPHOSATE = ROUND UPexcerpt: But he was challenged to account for President Trump's action on a chemical some worry is contaminating the food supply. On Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Hassan sparred with Kennedy over the issue of glyphosate, a pesticide which his supporters in the MAHA movement have rallied against. Before joining the federal government, Kennedy sued chemical maker Monsanto over the health effects of glyphosate. Hassan noted that President Trump signed an executive order to increase production of the pesticide and to grant immunity from liability to the company that makes it. "When you were running to get the MAHA vote, you told people you would stand up to chemical companies, you would take carcinogens out of our agricultural system," she said. She said instead of working with the president to limit the executive order, "you just stood down instead of standing up." Kennedy defended the executive order as necessary for national security, and said President Trump has "given me $200 million to help get America off of glyphosate." |
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Across New England, farmers are finding that switching to renewable energy isn’t just a nice thing to have, it’s becoming a necessary part of their economic survival. Read more. |
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- ‘We’re going to [expletive] take those dudes’: Vermont police told ICE to stand down. The federal agents didn’t listen. (The Boston Globe)
- F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend (The New York Times)
- ‘More Stories, More Inventory’: Inside the Backlash to McClatchy’s AI News Tool (The Wrap)
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Israel Rivera and Henco Visser embodied the spirit of the 2026 Boston Marathon when they helped Jonathan Adams cross the finish line on Monday. Read more. |
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