It's the first official day of autumn as of 2:19 p.m., and we've got one thing on our mind... fall foliage. Peep the leaves: We haven't reached "peak foliage" in Massachusetts yet, but it's only about a month away for much of the state, according to a newly revamped fall foliage tracker from the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation. Felicia Hubacz, a forest health specialist for DCR, told WBUR's John Bender the tracker is the "ideal tool" to plan a leaf-peeping trip, since it predicts when and where the autumn colors will peak based on weather conditions and years of forestry data. - When to go where: Northwestern Massachusetts, including the Berkshires, is expected to reach peak foliage around Oct. 13. "They tend to be a week ahead of the rest of the state," Hubacz told John. Cape Cod tends to be a week behind the rest of the state, Hubacz added. The rest of Massachusetts should be able to enjoy peak foliage between Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, per the map.
- Closing time: The tracker shows much of the foliage in Massachusetts will be "past peak" by Nov. 3. (So, don't slack on planning that scenic autumn drive.)
- Other fun new features: Yes, Mass. DCR did have a fall foliage map last year, but Hubacz said it was just the "basics." This year's map, which is updated by staff weekly, is more responsive to the current conditions, interactive and includes more data. The map also displays photos taken by DCR staff, to get a preview of what they might see before they leave for their outings.
Fresh off the picket line: Trash collectors with the Teamsters Local 25 are returning to work today for the first time since July. On Friday, trash company Republic Services and its unionized employees announced they had reached an agreement on a new five-year contract. "I haven’t been this happy since the Red Sox reversed the curse and won the World Series," wrote Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt, one of many local leaders who welcomed the resolution. - Zoom in: Kurt Lavery, a vice president at Republic, said he's looking forward to "quickly resuming normal operations." But it may be some time before local businesses see their regularly scheduled garbage service return. In Malden, one of the municipalities affected by the strike, city officials said drivers for Republic are required to complete a "mandatory retraining," which could cause some delays.
Time to downsize? Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that could encourage residents to downsize their homes amid the state's tight housing market. The proposal would give homeowners a tax credit of up to $10,000 to move their primary residence to a new spot where the square footage is at least 50% smaller, WBUR's Dan Guzman reports. Sen. Paul Feeney, of Foxborough, sponsored the bill and said the idea has received a positive response so far. - Why the incentive? Feeney told Dan homes aren't hitting the marketplace quickly enough since many older folks are holding onto their residences. "Which means that as people are looking to get into home ownership, to raise their family, they just don't have the ability to do that because the housing market doesn't support that," he added. He also said the state needs to build more homes to keep up with the housing demand.
The end of the road: Starting today, people studying for their driver's licenses will be required to attend driver's education classes in-person. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is ending remote driver's ed, which many driving schools implemented during the pandemic. The RMV says in-person classes are better for students' focus and more effectively prepare drivers to get behind the wheel. P.S. — In a world filled with $20 fast-casual lunches, where are the cheap eats hiding? We want to know where you've found a tasty lunch for $10 or less in the Greater Boston area. Share here and your response could be included in a future newsletter. |
