Happy Halloween Eve! (All Hallows Eve-eve?) The National Weather Service says the trick-or-treating forecast "looks like a treat," and Salem is expecting even bigger crowds than usual for its 400th anniversary. Here's a guide for visitors. (Reminder: today is also the last day of in-person early voting for the midterms in Massachusetts, in case you want to get ahead of the Tuesday rush.) Now, to the news:
BEFORE YOU FORM AN OPINION ABOUT THIS ISSUE, PLEASE GATHER FACTS! IN OTHER STATES, WOMEN HAVE DIED BECAUSE ABORTION CARE WAS DENIED LEAVING ORPHANS BEHIND! NATURE ISN'T PERFECT! MISTAKES HAPPEN! WOMEN & THEIR DOCTORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECISIONS! One ballot battle after another: Supporters of a petition to hold a 2028 referendum on Massachusetts' new abortion law say they've collected nearly double the signatures necessary to suspend the law. The "Compassionate Care Coalition" announced yesterday that they collected 97,276 signatures from Massachusetts voters in support of their effort. They need to file at least 37,289 by next Friday to put the referendum on the 2028 ballot — and at least 49,716 to suspend the law until that election. "We are grateful to every volunteer, pastor and parish staffer who carried a clipboard," coalition chair Sam Miele said in a statement. "Because of them, voters will have the final say." - Catch up: The law — which is set to take effect next Sunday, Nov. 8. — gets rid of restrictions on abortions for pregnancies beyond 24 weeks, putting the decision up to "the professional judgment" of the doctor. Gov. Maura Healey signed it in August, saying the measure gets the government out of "incredibly rare," painful choices for patients. Antiabortion activists and Catholic Church leaders backed the repeal effort last month, deriding the abortion law as one of the most permissive in the country.
- What's next: The final tally of signatures still needs to be certified by Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office. Galvin spokesperson Debra O'Malley said yesterday that they had "received a small quantity of petitions," but expect more to be filed before the Nov. 6 deadline. O'Malley said it typically takes one to two weeks to review and certify the signatures, a process that doesn't start until after all of them have been filed.
- FYI: The potential suspension of the law only takes effect after Galvin's office has certified the signature total. Healey also has the ability to block — or even undo — the suspension by attaching an emergency preamble to the law (like she did with the 2024 gun law) anytime up until the 2028 election. In a statement Thursday, Healey spokesperson Jacqueline Manning said the governor "continues to monitor the referendum process and evaluate options."
WEALTHY TRUMPER MIKE MINOGUE BLABBERS ABOUT "AFFORDABILITY" THIS WAS HIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS HEALTHCARE COSTS, CUTS TO FOOD PROGRAMS AND THE SLASHES INCLUDED IN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL DISASTER THE REPUBLICANS PASSED TO PROVIDE TAX CUTS TO THE WEALTHY LIKE MIKE MINOGUE AND EXPLODE THE DEFICIT! NOTICE MIKE MINOGUE'S SILENCE!
WHERE IS WEALTHY TRUMPER MIKE MINOGUE? Meanwhile on Beacon Hill: Consider Healey's proposal to suspend the state's gas tax all but officially dead. The Massachusetts Senate — whose leaders had actually expressed an inkling of openness to the idea — released its closeout budget bill Thursday. And while the $2.6 billion spending bill includes a number of policy add-ons, a gas tax suspension is not one of them. It comes after the House left out the proposal from its version of the bill last week. - What is in it? Like the House, the Senate proposal dedicates $1.8 billion for MassHealth and includes money to hire 200 new caseworkers at the agency that handles food stamps and other benefits. State House News Service has more here on the other policy proposals the Senate added in.
| A graphic showing the partial Green Line closure this weekend. (MBTA) |
Green Line ghosting: The MBTA is giving riders more tricks than treats this weekend. The Green Line's downtown tunnel between North Station and Kenmore will be closed Saturday and Sunday due to signal upgrades — as will part of the B branch and the southern E branch. Click here for more on shuttle buses and other free public transit alternatives. - Plan ahead: An even bigger, nine-day partial Green Line closure (affecting the C branch, too) starts next weekend. Get the details on that here.
- Meanwhile: The T announced this morning that Red Line trains can officially go up to 50 mph between North Quincy to JFK/UMass, as the agency promised last week.
He's back: After a record four sold-out shows at Fenway Park this summer, Noah Kahan is running it back. The Vermont native announced a 2027 stadium tour yesterday that includes four more concerts at Fenway (rather than Gillette Stadium; make of that what you will). Those shows take place May 29 to June 2 — with tickets going on sale in November. Save the date: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that this year's final Open Newbury — a special "holiday stroll" edition — will be Dec. 6. P.S.— Which two Massachusetts cities will get federal poll monitors on Election Day? Take our Boston News Quiz and see how well you know the stories we covered this week compared to other WBUR readers. | 
