As the Celtics try to close out the Sixers tonight in Philadelphia, the Fleet are taking the ice for their first playoff game at 7 p.m. — and you can still snag a seat at the Tsongas Center in Lowell for around $30. Here's how to watch from your couch. Now to the news: Trail tales: The waterfront paths north of Boston get lots of love. But yesterday, some of the state's top transportation officials gathered on the south side of the city to celebrate a quietly expanding network of trails: The Neponset River Greenway. In the shadow of Boston's iconic Rainbow Swash tank, MassDOT and DCR leaders officially cut the ribbon on a milelong extension, connecting the river trails that run along the border of Dorchester and Milton to Boston's Harborwalk. - Zoom in: The new path runs from Dorchester's Tenean Beach on the mouth of the Neponset River to Morrissey Boulevard. There are two parts: a 10-foot-wide paved path that runs along I-93, and then a 670-foot-long boardwalk with a deck looking out on Boston Harbor (and the aforementioned Swash).
- Why it matters: The new trail fills what was identified back in 2014 as a "missing link" in the system. It creates a nearly uninterrupted way to walk, run or bike from miles of Neponset River Greenway trails to the Columbia Point harborwalk to the beaches of South Boston. "We’re creating more opportunities for people — especially those who haven’t always had access — to experience and enjoy the waterfront," DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle said.
- Zoom out: Technically, the new section had a soft opening last year. But yesterday marked an opportunity for officials to shed light on three decades of work to improve walking and biking connections along the historically neglected river. The Dorchester Reporter has more here on how the Greenway has expanded piece by piece since the first section opened in 2002.
- What's next: DCR officials are now looking at potential Neponset River Greenway expansions and improvements westward from Mattapan Square. That includes developing a more contiguous multi-use path along the Truman Parkway and connecting the Greenway to the Blue Hills Reservation. They're also discussing adding more amenities like benches, picnic tables and even canoe/kayak rentals. If and when all that happens will depend on funding.
Back to work: Thousands of local Fidelity Investments employees are being ordered back to the office five days a week. The financial services giant — which currently has a hybrid policy allowing remote work 50% of the time — announced yesterday that nearly all employees will be required to be in-office full time starting this September. The Boston Business Journal first reported the policy change yesterday - Who's back: The new policy applies to Fidelity's Boston headquarters — as well as offices in New Hampshire, Kentucky and New Mexico.
- Who's not: Workers at Fidelity's Rhode Island office. According to The Boston Globe, the Smithfield office doesn't have enough space for a full return.
IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, I CAN'T POST THIS WITHOUT CHALLENGE! MASS GOP CONTINUE FOR FAIL! MASSGOP GRANDSTAND with PROPAGANDA! SCRUTINIZE THE MASS GOP CANDIDATES BEFORE YOU VOTE!
MUST READ! NO REAL SOLUTIONS FROM REPUBLICANS! REPUBLICANS OFFER CUTS AND DDON'T CALCULATE TO COSTS!
REDUCING THE INCOME TAX?
#1 Speaking as just a taxpayer, the INCOME TAX is NOMINAL
#2 Those most impacted by TRUMP'S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS are likely LOW INCOME EARNERS...REPUBLICANS have failed to identify who would benefit #3 If MASS GOP BOOBS were serious instead of SPEWING PROPAGANDA in an attempt to gain FALSE CLAIMS, there are options - MOST RESIDENTS would support FUNDING TO FEED FAMILIES instead of forcing them to make a CHOICE BETWEEN FEEDING THIER KIDS and LIFE SAVING MEDICATION!
Southwick Republican Rep. Nicholas Boldyga to suspend the state gas tax until prices come down at the pump.
I AM A FIRM BELIEVER: REDUCE YOUR CONSUMPTION! TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION & DON'T DRIVE A GAS GUZZLER! PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS....but not to REPUBLICANS! Get the FEDS to reduce the TAX!
SLOW ZONE SHORTSLEEVE LEFT A DISASTER AT THE MBTA....he's gonna tell you how to solve financial problems? Shoulda been LASER FOCUSED on the MBTA MESS he left! SKYROCKETING ENERGY COSTS? TRUMP stopped OFFSHORE WIND with BOGUS NONSENSE! What's SLOW ZONE done to address RENEWABLES that are CHEAPER than FOSSIL FUEL?
CHINA is selling CHEAP SOLAR KITS that include BATTERY BACKUP - opposed in the US!
THE FUTURE IS RENEWABLES! What has SLOW ZONE done to reduce his ENERGY CONSUMPTION? Republican candidate for governor Brian Shortsleeve seized on Monday’s House votes, saying if elected he would “focus like a laser on reducing costs for cash-strapped working families through tax relief, cutting expensive red tape, and rolling back all of Maura Healey’s budget-busting ‘green fees.'”
On Beacon Hill: The House passed its annual state budget proposal last night, after adding about $81 million in new spending and voting down a number of Republican-backed tax proposals over several days of debate. All in all, the bill weighs in at $63.4 billion, slightly more than Gov. Maura Healey's original proposal. State House News Service has more details here. excerpt: Rep. Adrian Madaro of East Boston, the House chairman of the Revenue Committee, called the sales tax cut “fiscally irresponsible” and said it would cost the state “roughly $2 billion.” He said a bill that would “accomplish substantially the same goal” got a hearing before his committee in September “and received no supporting testimony.” Representatives rejected the sales tax rate cut amendment with a 25-118 party-line vote. Lombardo (REPUBLICAN) made much of the same argument when he got to pitch his amendment to lower the state income tax rate from 5% to 4%. He took issue with Madaro’s characterization of the tax cut as irresponsible. “I find it a little funny that every time we take money from the taxpayers, that’s the responsible thing to do. But when we make the case that we should give money back to the taxpayers or not take as much from them, that’s irresponsible. I flat out reject that notion,” the Billerica Republican said. Madaro responded by claiming the income tax cut is “fiscally unsound” and would be “categorically unwise to implement, especially at a time when Massachusetts is at a flashpoint defending against hefty tax cuts at the federal level.” Various estimates peg the impact of an income tax rate reduction at around $5 billion.
- What's next: Now, we turn to the Senate, which typically unveils and votes on its budget proposal in May. Then, the two chambers try to iron out a compromise before that ever-elusive July 1 deadline.
P.S.— The full WBUR Festival lineup has finally dropped. Click here to scroll through the complete list of speakers coming to Comm. Ave. for the May 29-30 festival. Today is the last day to get a discount before ticket prices increase on Friday. Check out the pass options here. | 
