Hallo-week is off to a summery start, with temps inching toward the 70s today. (Talk about sweat-er weather.)
Now, let's get to the news:
All clear:More Massachusetts residents are set to have part or all of their medical debt forgiven this year through a partnership between two nonprofits. Boston's Atrius Health Equity Foundation and the New York-based Undue Medical Debt announced Thursday it erased $38 million in unpaid medical bills for nearly 70,000 Massachusetts residents. Letters notifying relief recipients are expected to go out this week. The nonprofits' debt forgiveness program has cleared more than $293 million in medical debt since its creation in 2024. That includes $170 million forgiven back in June, helping more than 140,000 low- to middle-income Massachusetts residents.
Who is eligible: People who make less than $64,000 a year or those who have medical debt amounting to at least 5% of their annual income, WBUR's Stevee Chapman reports. Qualified residents will receive a letter in the mail from Undue Medical Debt alerting them that all or part of their debt has been erased.
Why? Nationwide, medical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy, Atrius Foundation President Dr. Ann Hwang told Stevee. She said one in eight people in Massachusetts carry medical debt — and people of color are disproportionally affected. "Unlike other forms of consumer debt, it's rarely a debt of choice. It's a debt that people incur because they got sick," Hwang said. "We're trying to address this as a health issue and as a health equity issue in Massachusetts." Medical debt also deters people from seeking medical care in the future, which ultimately has a negative impact on people's health, she added.
We've got mail:It's business as usual today at the Fields Corner Post Office. The United States Postal Service announced Friday it secured a lease extension for its 218 Adams St. office. It was supposed to shutter today because the lease was set to expire on Oct. 31.
Getting organized: The USPS informed the public about its plan to close the Fields Corner Post Office back on Sept. 30. That prompted action from locals and officials in Dorchester. Boston City Councillor John FitzGerald credits the win to residents' involvement and "a great relationship with Sen. [Ed] Markey’s office and a strong relationship with the developer and attorney at the O’Hearn Building," according to the Dorchester Reporter.
What's next: FitzGerald told WBUR the goal now is to work out a long-term lease between the landlord and the USPS. He feels the post office is more than just a place of business for locals. "It's part of their routine, right? It's part of what gets them out to take a walk and see people, and be socially active," FitzGerald said. "And then they grab a cup of coffee next door. And, you know, anything that builds community, we wanna fight for."
The first day of school:The Massachusetts State Police Academy is welcoming a new class of trooper candidates today. It's the first since a series of policy changes enacted after recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia died following an unauthorized boxing exercise at the academy two years ago. Court proceedings for the four troopers charged with involuntary manslaughter are still ongoing.
The changes: More than 100 reforms were recommended to the police academy after Delgado-Garcia's death, WBUR's John Bender reports. As of today, 22 of those changes have been adopted, including revamped training on use of force and the elimination of "drill instructors." Col. Geoffrey Noble told John the moves are part of an effort to build public trust, "creating a culture of excellence and accountability" for troopers that come out of the academy.
Midterms memo:Voters have cast more than half a million ballots since early and mail-in voting began, according to data collected by election officials as of Friday. Election Day is Nov. 3, but if you want to cast your ballot sooner, early voting runs through this Friday. And if you're using a mail-in ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day.
As of October 26, 2026, 596,614 ballots have been cast in Massachusetts for the midterm election, which includes both mail-in and early in-person votes.
In the 2024 general election, 3,512,930 ballots were cast, which represents a turnout of 68.4% of eligible voters. This is an increase from the 2,511,461 ballots cast in the 2022 midterm election, where the turnout was 48.9%.
P.S. — Residents who buy insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector can now make changes to their plan. Open enrollment for the state-run insurance marketplace began Friday, and will run through Jan. 23, 2027, WBUR's Kevin Vu reports. But the clock is ticking! You'll need to enroll by Dec. 23 to receive insurance by Jan. 1.
The unionized nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have rejected a tentative contract deal — prolonging a bitter labor dispute and raising the possibility of another strike. Read more.
Dozens of employees at Boston Dynamics have petitioned the company to stop the sale of its robot dogs to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Read more.
New England has dozens of small data centers like this, some of them decades old. With the increasing use of artificial intelligence, these facilities could get upgraded to handle AI computing. Read more.
Republicans redrew Congressional district lines to try to tilt the midterms in their favor. But now they are facing expensive and competitive races they had hoped to outmaneuver. Read more.
Park staff took down the summit sign noting the importance of Cadillac Mountain to Maine's Indigenous people at the orders of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Now it's unraveled some of the trust that took decades to build between Acadia National Park and the Wabanaki people.
Cognoscenti editor Kate Neale Cooper is a happy empty nester, but misses her adult children a little extra around Halloween. "I realized it was because Halloween was their holiday," she writes in this essay.
What We're Reading 📚
‘It’s just so dangerous’: Why people keep dying at the St. Louis city jail (STLPR)
Somerville income growth highest in Mass.; prosperity has its own problems (Cambridge Day)
‘The good, the bad, and the ugly.’ How South Station Tower embodies Boston’s real estate economy. (The Boston Globe)
A team of employees and a loyal patron have purchased the Davis Square building for $12 million, ending months of fraught speculation about the future of Greater Boston’s oldest movie palace. Read more.
After more than 100 matches across North America, Spain came out on top as the champion of the 2026 men's World Cup. Yesterday's final also included a splash of American culture — the tournament's first-ever halftime show, featuring heaps of global talent and even an appearance by the Muppets.
Now, let's get to the news:
Security concerns:Transportation Security Administration workers are carefully watching the confirmation hearings for their potential new boss, worried that he might allow more private companies to take over airport screening — something the Trump administration has advocated for. TSA head nominee David Cummins comes from the private sector and is a former senior vice president at government contractor Serco. Mike Gayzagian, president of AFGE Local 2617, which represents TSA workers in New England, told WBUR's Rob Lane he wants more clarity from Cummins on how the plan to expand private security screening at airports will affect TSA employees.
What they're saying: Cummins told a Senate committee on Thursday that the existing program is "pro-worker" and would not threaten the current workforce. But Gayzagian is doubtful. "My suspicion is that they'll do everything they can do to implement it, and he's coming in as a new administrator," Gayzagian said. "He has his bosses. His bosses' agenda is to push that program, and he's going to do whatever they tell him to do."
Why privatization? The little-used federal program that allows airports to outsource security screenings — with TSA oversight — has been in place since 2004. Recent government shutdowns have led to TSA workers not getting paid (and long airport lines) and some think privatizing more of the workforce could insulate against that.
In other air travel news: Logan Airport welcomed more than 1 million international travelers last month — a new record for the month of June. WBUR's Dan Guzman reports that soccer fans pouring into the state for World Cup matches in Foxborough were largely responsible for the spike. Sharon Williams, Massport's executive director for aviation, told Dan that Logan spent two years preparing for the influx of visitors (including $30 million in upgrades to the bathrooms). But despite the World Cup bump, the total number of passengers traveling through Logan this fiscal year was nearly 2% less than the year before
Heads up, Red Line riders:Starting tomorrow, shuttle buses will replace train service between Alewife and Park Street for ten consecutive days. The MBTA says the suspension is necessary so crews can complete infrastructure upgrades and revitalization work, including the replacement of floating slabs. Shuttle buses will make stops between all affected stations, and there will be an express shuttle running between Harvard and South Station if you need a faster ride. Here are other ways to get around during the closure:
MBTA alternatives: You can use bus routes 69 (from Cambridge), 87 (from Arlington), 91 (from Charlestown) and 88, 89 and 109 (from Somerville) to connect with the Green Line's Medford/Tufts and Union Square lines. The commuter rail will also be fare-free between Porter Square and North Station until July 30, but you'll need to purchase a ticket if you plan to go beyond Porter.
Taking the shuttle? Budget ample time for travel. The MBTA says that the average rider going between Alewife and Park Street on the shuttle should carve out at least 70 minutes for their trip.
Better practices:The head of the Massachusetts State Police, Colonel Geoffrey Noble, says the department's training academy will reopen once new safeguards are established following the 2024 death of a recruit. Noble, speaking to WCVB, didn't say when a new class would start.
An independent review of the academy, commissioned after 25-year-old Enrique Delgado Garcia died following a boxing exercise, recommended more than 100 changes. Those recommendations ranged from stronger leadership to more wellness supports for recruits.
Among the planned changes: Noble said there will be new leadership and oversight of the academy. "A recruit who shows up at our academy can expect that they will be trained in line with national best practices and they will be trained in a spirit of safety and wellness for them," Noble said.
Four troopers with the State Police tactical unit are facing charges connected to Delgado Garcia's death. All have pleaded not guilty.
P.S. — Hungry? You can still snag tickets for CitySpace's Curated Cuisine session happening tonight at 7 p.m. WBUR's Solon Kelleher will moderate a panel featuring four artisan cheesemakers, and guests will get to sample cheese and wine following the conversation. Sound like your kind of night? Click here for more information.
Lindsay Clancy is charged with murdering her three young children. The trial, beginning Monday at Plymouth Superior Court, is likely to focus on the mental health treatment she was receiving at the time. Read more.
Advocates argue many immigrants funneled into the courts for mega masters hearings will lose the ability to have their stories heard, and that the government's ultimate goal here is to increase deportations. Read more.
City Councilor Erin Murphy said she is concerned about the safety record of the school's transportation contractor and that the school district has not disclosed the full extent of its transportation problems. Read more.
Quotes from transportation companies to first get the 42,000 pounds of food and personal supplies to Miami came in around $30,000, Beverly resident Juan Salcedo said. Volunteers couldn’t justify spending that much to move pallets around the U.S. That's when Amazon stepped in. Read more.
Three U.S. service members were killed in action while "partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks," U.S. Central Command said Saturday. Read more.
Anything Else?
The United Kingdom has a new prime minister. Andy Burnham, a Labour Party politician born and raised in northern England, will take over the country's top job from Keir Starmer beginning today. Learn more about Burnham here.
Horror onstage can be a tough sell, theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair writes. But the script and production behind Levi Holloway's adaptation of "Paranormal Activity" is sure to make audiences jump, gasp and scream.
"Call me corny; call me a sap. I don’t care," writes Cognoscenti contributor Scott Helman, about his love of this year's World Cup. "In the final tally, score a victory for the global community ... score it for a kind of universal kinship, billions strong."
What We're Reading 📚
Domestic violence charge against head of Mass. data center dropped after wife declines to testify, records show (The Boston Globe)
Indigenous-run domestic violence healing center planned for Aquinnah (Cape and Islands)
Taking Out the Trash: These Old Ladies are Cleaning up Cape Cod (The New York Times)
