Showing posts with label Boston Globe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Globe. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

FHS boys basketball rolls into D1 Final over Catholic Memorial

Via Twitter and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the fall sports playoff competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Via Ryan Lanigan -> https://twitter.com/R_Lanigan
  • A spot in the Division 1 state championship on the line inside the Rabouin Field House at Taunton High. #3 Franklin (24-1) taking on #2 Catholic Memorial (19-4). #hockomock
  • End 1Q: Franklin 21, Catholic Memorial 16. Panthers cash in on some second chance points, Bradley Herndon with two hustle plays that led to a pair of buckets. #hockomock
  • Half: Franklin 33, Catholic Memorial 29. Panthers had the lead up to 10 (29-19) before Knights closed strong. Henry Digiorgio with 11 pts, Sean O’Leary 9 pts 3 reb 3 ast. #hockomock
  • Bradley Herndon has been incredible this quarter, playing with tremendous confidence. Now Caden Sullivan soars in for a tip in. Franklin up 53-37, 2:08 left 3Q. #hockomock
  • End 3Q: Franklin 56, Catholic Memorial 42. Panthers win the third (23-13) by double digits, some massive momentum waves. O’Leary 14 pts, Herndon & Digiorgio 11 pts each, Sullivan & O’Neill 8 pts each. #hockomock
  • Franklin had the lead up to 17 (59-42) but the offense has gone cold, missed a couple close ones. Knights with a 10-0 run including a bucket off a missed free throw. Franklin holding a 59-52 left with 2:15 left 4Q. #hockomock
  • Final: Franklin 66, Catholic Memorial 52. The Panthers are headed to the D1 state championship game. Sean O’Leary 17 pts 6 reb 5 ast, Bradley Herndon 13 pts 7 reb 6 ast, Henry Digiorgio 11 pts 10 reb, Andrew O’Neill 11 pts (huge 4Q three), Caden Sullivan 10 pts 8 reb #hockomock
The other finalist will be determined by the outcome of their game later today. #1 Worcester North vs. Xaverian. The full MIAA bracket can be found -> http://miaa.statebrackets.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=7008

The full recap by Ryan Lanigan on HockomockSports.com (subscription required) ->



FHS boys basketball rolls into D1 Final over Catholic Memorial
FHS boys basketball rolls into D1 Final over Catholic Memorial

Franklin is not alone in struggling to fund their schools & town budget

Via Boston Globe

"Nearly five years after Massachusetts lawmakers overhauled the state’s school funding formula, districts are struggling to balance their budgets for the upcoming school year, prompting many to consider cutting programs and staff or asking taxpayers to dig deeper. 
The chief culprit, district leaders and advocates say, is the high rate of inflation that hit the US economy in recent years, much higher than the adjustments used in the new funding formula that was revamped to reflect modern-day costs. 
The failure of the new formula to accurately capture inflation could be collectively costing districts hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, according to Colin Jones, deputy policy director at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a nonpartisan research institute. 
Voters in Belmont, Harvard, and Westford will be considering hefty property tax hikes at the polls this spring, which, if they fail to pass, could result in significant cuts to school and town services. In Belmont, for example, if voters reject an $8.4 million override on April 2, school leaders have said they will need to close the Mary Lee Burbank Elementary School, eliminate dozens of teaching and other positions, and make deep cuts to extracurricular activities."
Continue reading the full article online (subscription may be required) ->

Franklin is not alone in struggling to fund their schools & town budget
Franklin is not alone in struggling to fund their schools & town budget

Friday, January 26, 2024

Boston Globe: "‘Home equity theft’ in Massachusetts is the focus of federal lawsuit"

"In 2017, the city of Greenfield targeted Stephen Woodbridge’s property, which totaled almost 20 acres and included a rambling 10-room house, for unpaid taxes of a little less than $6,000.

Four years later, after making numerous complex and arcane court filings, the city succeeded in gaining legal ownership of a property that had been in the Woodbridge family for 70 years.

Woodbridge was quickly evicted, and the city sold his house and six surrounding acres for $270,000 at auction. The city added Woodbridge’s other 13 wooded acres to a contiguous city-owned park without compensating him.

The city reaped a tidy cash profit of at least $220,000 — the $270,000 sale price at auction minus the $50,000 Woodbridge owed in taxes, interest, and other costs run up while the tax-taking case moved through the system. Woodbridge’s debt had ballooned almost tenfold since 2017 because he was charged fees for the city’s attorneys plus 16 percent interest on his debt — as permitted by law."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

Al Norman is pictured near Stephen Woodbridge’s former Greenfield property Wednesday. Norman is a community activist fighting against so-called "home equity theft," when municipalities take all the home equity in a house where the back taxes are only a fraction of the property's value.MATTHEW CAVANAUGH/FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Al Norman is pictured near Stephen Woodbridge’s former Greenfield property Wednesday. Norman is a community activist fighting against so-called "home equity theft," when municipalities take all the home equity in a house where the back taxes are only a fraction of the property's value. MATTHEW CAVANAUGH/FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE


Heating at Franklin Field in Dorchester to be converted to geothermal

Following along with one of our Making Sense of Climate recurring topics, Boston goes with a pilot on geothermal.
"As the Boston Housing Authority works toward an ambitious goal of going fossil-fuel free, its path to success could begin at the Franklin Field complex in Dorchester.

Mayor Michelle Wu joined officials from the BHA and National Grid at Franklin Field on Thursday to unveil details of a plan to convert the heating system for 129 public housing units there to an electricity-powered geothermal system. The project would replace the 20-year-old gas-fired boiler in use today.

BHA administrator Kenzie Bok said the idea can be traced back to Wu’s announcement a year ago that the BHA would wean itself off fossil fuels by 2030. BHA officials first considered using air-source heat pumps to replace the aging boiler but found that National Grid’s centralized geothermal proposal would be more cost efficient.

“The first step in going fossil-fuel free is not to put in new fossil fuel infrastructure,” Bok said."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/01/25/business/boston-geothermal-energy/

The Boston Housing Authority will install a geothermal project at the Franklin Filed housing complex in Dorchester. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (left) walks into the event with National Grid New England president Lisa Wieland.JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF
The Boston Housing Authority will install a geothermal project at the Franklin Filed housing complex in Dorchester. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (left) walks into the event with National Grid New England president Lisa Wieland. JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF


Saturday, January 20, 2024

Local taxes on meals, hotels could rise under Healey plan

"Governor Maura Healey, who this week swore off raising state taxes, unveiled sweeping legislation Friday that would allow towns and cities to raise their taxes on hotel stays, cars, and meals by as much as 33 percent to help bolster their local coffers.

The sprawling bill has the backing of municipal leaders, and if embraced by the Legislature, could generate more than $150 million in new annual tax revenue for towns and cities juggling tight budgets, state officials estimated.

Healey also is seeking a series of other major changes, including allowing local officials to set caps on the number of liquor licenses distributed in their city or town, a power long-held by the Legislature. The governor said she is proposing to make permanent a raft of pandemic-era rules, such as allowing restaurants to sell to-go cocktails.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Healey said the package of changes “empowers the local communities” and does not affect the revenue the state relies on for its budget."
Continue reading the article online (Subscription may be required)

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

"Migrants want to work. And employers want to hire them"

"In the midst of the migrant crisis, there is opportunity: thousands of new arrivals eager to find jobs that employers around the state are desperate to fill.

And these mutual needs are starting to be met. Migrants living in at-capacity emergency shelters are trickling into the workforce: packaging cooking oil in Ayer; caring for patients with developmental disabilities in Waltham; gearing up to clean hospital rooms in Salem.

But getting to that point has required a massive undertaking. After holding clinics to speed up the work authorization process, the state launched a job skills training program that allows migrants living in shelters to start learning — and earning a stipend — while they wait for the US government to issue them work permits, and just announced two new hires dedicated to connecting migrants with jobs. Workers from MassHire Career Centers are going into shelters to connect migrants with English classes and help them find jobs. And employers are opening their doors to shelter residents — donating space for training sessions and even hiring translators to assist new hires.

Salem Hospital has offered housekeeping jobs to six Haitian migrants living at a shelter nearby on the campus of Salem State University, and filling them would be a major milestone."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Saturday, January 13, 2024

Boston Globe: Fall 2023 All-Scholastics recognizes FHS' Crandall, Carney, Cinelli, O'Connor, Lacerda

Field Hockey -> Athletes of the Year - Raena Crandall - DIVISION 1: FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

The Hockomock All-Star led Franklin to a 20-1-1 record with a league-leading 33 goals. She was second in points with 50. Last year, Crandall played in the 2023 Nexus Regional Selection Camp. The 2024 captain has 77 career points.

Field Hockey -> All-scholastics - Emily Carney - FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

The Fairfield commit is on USA Field Hockey’s radar and for good reason. She was part of the fearsome Franklin lineup, recording 29 goals and 19 assists, and was named a Hockomock League All-Star for a second year.

Boys Soccer -> All-scholastics - Rex Cinelli - FRANKLIN | SENIOR

The speedy defender was an All-New England selection after guiding Franklin to an undefeated regular season, a Hockomock League title, and a trip to the Division 1 quarterfinals. The four-year starter scored six goals and was the Hockomock MVP.

Girls Soccer -> All-scholastics - Kelly O'Connor - FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

Second in the Hockomock League in scoring with a team-leading 26 goals and 14 assists, the All-State selection showcased tremendous skill along the left side for the Panthers (18-3-0). O’Connor is committed to play soccer at Fairfield University.

Volleyball -> All-scholastics - Taylor Lacerda - FRANKLIN | SENIOR

It took multiple five-setters, but the senior and two-year captain came up clutch and led the Panthers to the Division 1 semifinals. The returning Globe All-Scholastic hitter compiled 240 kills, 303 digs, and 42 aces on the season.


For the complete Boston Globe listing -> (subscription may be required)

Boston Globe: Fall 2023 All-Scholastics recognizes FHS' Crandall, Carney, Cinelli, O'Connor, Lacerda
Boston Globe: Fall 2023 All-Scholastics recognizes FHS' Crandall, Carney, Cinelli, O'Connor, Lacerda

Monday, January 8, 2024

MA Senate passes bill to address wheelchair repairs that can drag on for months

"Wheelchair users took a victory lap at the State House on Thursday after the state Senate passed legislation to address a national crisis, chronic delays of months or longer for even the most basic repairs to chairs.

The bill, passed with a vote of 39-0, would extend warranties on new chairs from one year to two, a period during which chair owners could avoid cumbersome insurance authorization for fixes, advocates said. Chairs with expired warranties would not need insurance approval for repairs less than $1,000.

“We’ve been fighting so hard just to get here,” said Pamela Daly, of Charlestown, after the Senate vote. “They’re simple mechanical problems or they’re simple parts that need to be ordered. This is not rocket science.”

Daly noted she was late for Thursday’s vote because her wheelchair’s brakes, installed about a month ago, failed earlier that morning, and she fell while trying to get into her chair. Though uninjured, she had to call paramedics to help her get into her chair."
Continue reading this Boston Globe article online (subscription may be required)

MA Senate passes bill to address wheelchair repairs that can drag on for months
MA Senate passes bill to address wheelchair repairs that can drag on for months

Saturday, January 6, 2024

First communities in Mass. to ban gas appliances get final state OK

"After years of deliberations, negotiations and regulatory rollout — and some well-publicized “agita” in the corner office — a handful of Massachusetts cities and towns can now significantly limit the use of fossil fuels in new building projects.

The state’s Department of Energy Resources gave seven communities the final green light to begin a groundbreaking experiment: they will require new construction and major renovation to embrace fossil fuel-free infrastructure for uses like heating and cooling.

They include Acton, Aquinnah, Brookline, Cambridge, Concord, Lincoln and Lexington, which can now effectively mandate that most construction or significant renovation projects within their borders abstain from oil and gas hookups.

Effective dates vary by community. In several cases, the rules will take effect within three months, though Lincoln’s will not kick in for roughly six months and Aquinnah’s appears to have already started on Jan. 1."
Continue reading the article at the Boston Globe (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/01/05/business/massachusetts-gas-bans/

New construction in Cambridge and at least six other cities and towns in Massachusetts will be largely free from fossil fuels under a new pilot program approved by state energy regulators last month.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
New construction in Cambridge and at least six other cities and towns in Massachusetts will be largely free from fossil fuels under a new pilot program approved by state energy regulators last month.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Franklin Public Schools Celebrates Successful Fall 2023 Athletics Season

Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Athletic Director Karrah Ellis congratulate Franklin High School’s student-athletes and athletic staff on a successful fall athletics season.

“I’m so proud of our hard-working, dedicated athletes,” said Director Ellis. “Receiving MIAA recognition is a testament to our student-athletes who have displayed great sportsmanship throughout the entire season.”

Hockomock League Champions Fall 2023
Franklin High School teams compete in the Hockomock League as part of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). FHS athletics finished the fall season with the most wins across all teams within the Hockomock League. 

FHS sports teams recognized include: Boys’ Soccer, Girls’ Soccer, Golf, Boys’ Cross Country with Volleyball and Field Hockey placing in the Final Four for the Division 1 State Tournament. 

The FHS cheer team won its 10th consecutive Hockomock League title, the Division 1 South Regional Championship, and the Division 1 State Championship with the highest score in the state.

FHS also won the Hockomock League Val Muscato All-Sports Award for fall 2023, tallying the highest average of earned points from league standings in all sports this year.

Boston Globe Dalton Award
Franklin High School athletics secured the Boston Globe Dalton Award for the fifth year in a row, winning 74.7 percent of its games for an overall record of 251-83-6.

MIAA Coach of the Year Award
The MIAA recognized three FHS head coaches as Coach of the Year including Baseball coach Zach Brown, Unified Basketball coach John Leighton and girls’ Lacrosse coach Kristin Igoe, who was also honored as the National Federation of High School Sports Section 1 Coach of the Year.

All-Scholastic Awards
Several FHS student-athletes won individual year-end accolades from Boston media:

Boston Herald All-Scholastic
Emily Carney (Field Hockey)
Raena Crandall (Field Hockey)
Rex Cinelli (Boys’ Soccer)
Anya Zub (Girls’ Soccer)
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Rex Cinelli (Boys’ Soccer)
Raena Crandall (Field Hockey)
Emily Carney (Field Hockey)
Kelly O’Connor (Girls’ Soccer)
Taylor Lacerda (Volleyball)
“Congratulations to our Athletic Department, coaches and talented student-athletes on their many accomplishments,” said Superintendent Giguere. “I am continuously impressed by each athlete’s determination, grit and steadfast commitment to their chosen teams, always displaying the highest level of sportsmanship.”


Franklin Public Schools Celebrates Successful Fall 2023 Athletics Season
Franklin Public Schools Celebrates Successful Fall 2023 Athletics Season

Thursday, December 14, 2023

"Range Anxieties" shares the experiences of Representative Roy's electric vehicle

Jeffrey N. Roy (@jeffroy) posted on Wed, Dec 13, 2023:
Fighting climate change with electric cars isn't working like we hoped. https://t.co/GOV1rbcVAQ via @BostonGlobe

 

This is a topic of keen interest to Representative Jeff Roy. He also has a new blog "Range Anxieties" where he shares his experience with his electric vehicle including the lack of charging stations (in MA especially along the major roadways.)  

What is Range Anxiety?
"Range anxiety is the fear of driving an electric car and running out of power without being able to find a charging point on time to replenish the battery. Thus you fear being left stranded. You worry about where you can charge on long trips, how long charging takes, whether the charger will be available when you get there, whether the charger is working, whether it is producing enough kilowatts, and how much will it slow you down on these cross-country trips. Indeed, range anxiety is considered to be one of the major psychological barriers to large-scale public adoption of electric cars."
You can find Range Anxieties here -> https://rangeanxieties.com/


The Boston Globe link was shared from Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1734901853601603615

https://t.co/GOV1rbcVAQ via @BostonGlobe
https://t.co/GOV1rbcVAQ via @BostonGlobe

Monday, November 13, 2023

Boston Globe: "Boston’s plan to ban fossil fuels in new buildings goes up in smoke"

"Wu’s decision not to apply for the program came as a surprise to environmental advocates and legislators who have been trying to move the state away from heating and cooling new structures with fossil fuels. Constructing buildings that are only powered by electricity is considered among the low-hanging fruit of plans to decarbonize. Buildings account for roughly 70 percent of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The decision marks an abrupt departure from the mayor’s recent statements, delivered in press conferences and radio interviews, that the city intended to participate in the program and lead by example.

Wu said, “it breaks my heart,” but that the city was not applying for the state program because it appears it was not actually intended for a city as complex as Boston, with its large population and already-strained electric grid. She said she had gotten “clear indications that Boston would not be chosen for the one available spot.”

Maria Hardiman, a spokesperson for the state Department of Energy Resources, said the challenge for Boston is that it’s “electrically similar” — meaning the age of the infrastructure and demands on the system are comparable — to several other cities or towns that have already been selected for the program, including Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, and Arlington. Those similarities “would have presented a challenge in the selection process” because the pilot program is aimed at getting data from a diverse group of communities."

Shared from Sabrina Shankman (@shankman)->    https://twitter.com/shankman/status/1723830814788518112

Boston Globe: "Boston’s plan to ban fossil fuels in new buildings goes up in smoke"
Boston Globe: "Boston’s plan to ban fossil fuels in new buildings goes up in smoke"

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Boston Globe: "state to partner with feds to help migrants obtain work permits"

"The state is partnering with the federal government to help migrants apply for work authorization documents, directing resources toward an avenue state officials consider key to alleviating the strain on the state’s overwhelmed emergency shelter system.

State and federal Homeland Security will co-host a clinic the week of Nov. 13 in Middlesex County, north of Boston. The state will organize appointments and provide transportation for migrants from shelter sites across the state to the clinic site.

The announcement comes as the clock ticks down to Wednesday, Nov. 1, when Governor Maura Healey said she will begin limiting how many families it will place in its emergency shelter system.

“We are glad that the Biden-Harris Administration is hosting this clinic with us, which will help process work authorizations as efficiently as possible,” Healey said in a statement. “This clinic will be critical for building on the work that our administration has already been leading to connect more migrants with work opportunities.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/30/metro/mass-migrants-work-permits-clinic/

Boston Globe: "state to partner with feds to help migrants obtain work permits"
Boston Globe: "state to partner with feds to help migrants obtain work permits"

Monday, October 23, 2023

Boston Globe: "Voicing history: Audio technology added to Boston Women’s Memorial"

"Ever wonder what story a statue would say if it could talk?

Well, if you’re passing by the Boston Women’s Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall with a smartphone, you can find out.

While not quite like “Night at the Museum,” a collaboration between the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail and the Talking Statues Association unveiled Saturday gives voice to First Lady Abigail Adams, poet Phillis Wheatley and suffragist Lucy Stone.

October marks the 20th anniversary of the Boston Women’s Memorial, a bronze by sculpture Meredith Bergmann. t

As part of the project, the sculpture now features a plaque with Bergmann’s name on it, a QR code, and Braille. It works like this: the QR code gets scanned on a smartphone and the person receives a call with the audio, the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail said in a statement."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Insurance coverage changing, rates increasing in climate change

"It’s hard to believe now, given the subsequent rigamarole. But when Julia Shanks first learned that her insurance company wouldn’t renew her policy because it wanted to reduce its risk with “coastal properties,” the North Shore resident wasn’t particularly concerned.

Coastal? My house? she thought. “That’s ridiculous.”

Sure, she lives in a coastal town. But she’s a half a mile from the beach. Up a hill. Not in a flood zone. Once, when she asked a roofer to see if a roof deck would allow her to glimpse the water, he was blunt.

“You can’t see the ocean from anywhere in this house.”

But as Shanks, who asked that her town not be named, and other Massachusetts property owners are learning, insurers are becoming increasingly risk averse. Experts say that features that were once considered acceptable are now sometimes triggering price increases or even nonrenewals from insurers. A property that is less than two miles from the water may be rejected, for example, or an older home — built many decades ago — that may have outdated systems or hard-to-replace materials. Or, heaven forbid, its owner has committed the sin of all sins and filed claims in the past five years."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Franklin takes 5th straight Dalton Award, FHS girls soccer lose match with Bishop Feehan

Via Twitter and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the fall sports competition for Franklin High School on Saturday, Oct 21, 2023. 


Girls Soccer = Franklin, 0 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final

For other results around the league (subscription required)

Via the Boston Globe
The 10 divisional winners for the 2022-23 Globe Scholastic Awards, now in their 51st year, in which schools are ranked based on their regular-season win percentage. Scores are compiled and updated daily during the season through the Globe’s database at https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/high-schools/.

Dalton Division 1 Franklin captured its fifth straight Dalton, winning 74.7 percent of its games for an aggregate 251-83-6 overall record. The Panthers surged ahead in the fall with an 84-15-3 mark, fueled by standout seasons in field hockey (18-2-1), football (7-3), boys’ soccer (16-4-1), and girls’ volleyball (16-4). In the winter, the basketball teams both won the Hockomock League and combined for a 37-7 record, before baseball (23-4), girls’ lacrosse (20-4), and boys’ lacrosse (20-4) ruled.
Shared from Boston Globe (subscription maybe required ->

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Reminder that HockomockSports.com changed to a subscription model in July. I have a subscription to view and share the FHS results that they provide. If you want to view all the worth Hockomock League reporting they do, subscribing is a good thing. It is quite reasonable. The subscription link is provided below.

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Boston Globe: "IRS will offer a new option to file your tax return in 13 states — and Massachusetts is one of them"

"In 2024, some taxpayers will have for the first time a new filing option that many advocates have been demanding for years: A free tax preparation software program, like TurboTax or its competitors, created by the IRS.

For its first filing season, the program, Direct File, will be available in only 13 states and won’t be suitable for all taxpayers, the IRS announced on Tuesday. If you want to be one of the first to try it out, you’ll need a special invitation.

Selected taxpayers will get invitations around mid-February, an IRS official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the program before Tuesday’s announcement.

If all goes well with those early filers, the official said, the program will gradually open up to more users. By the time of the tax filing deadline in April, the IRS’s goal is that the program will be open to anyone who wants to use it in the 13 eligible states. The IRS said in an email Tuesday that the agency anticipates hundreds of thousands of users."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)  

Read the IRS press release, no subscription required

The IRS plans to invite a select group of taxpayers across 13 states to try out the agency’s pilot electronic free file tax return system, beginning this January.PATRICK SEMANSKY/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The IRS plans to invite a select group of taxpayers across 13 states to try out the agency’s pilot electronic free file tax return system, beginning this January.PATRICK SEMANSKY/ASSOCIATED PRESS


Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Help for blind and impaired vision coming via MA Blind Commission

"The commission has now officially turned the page. Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh replaced D’Arcangelo with John Oliveira, a veteran worker whose appointment prompted sustained applause during a staff meeting when it was announced, according to union representatives.

Head of Massachusetts child welfare agency to leave for D.C. advocacy organization
Oliveira, 62, is respected and well liked, said people who fought to oust the previous commissioner, but his appointment alone won’t rebuild an agency that remains plagued with slow service and overwhelming case loads.

“It took a long time for the commission to deteriorate as much as it did,” said Amy Ruell, a Maine-based national advocate for blind people with impaired vision who until recently lived in Massachusetts. “It’s going to take a long time for it to recapture some of its power and service delivery.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/10/metro/blind-commission-massachusetts-darcangelo-oliveira/

John Oliveira, the new commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
John Oliveira, the new commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Two articles, two different locations, indicate a return to paper (long print news & paper fliers)

"In a digital age of 24-hour rolling news, newspapers worldwide are investing resources in their online editions. But a US publisher has gone back in time by launching a print-only broadsheet in the style of a 19th-century newspaper.

Called County Highway, it is responding to a demand from readers for in-depth stories and writing that needs time to savour. It will not have an internet edition.

Focusing primarily on the US and publishing every two months, it has a format partly inspired by Charles Dickens and other 19th-century authors whose stories were serialised in journals. It will include serialised books from its own new publishing house – an independent company that is taking on the conglomerates that dominate the industry.

“People read differently on the printed page than they do on a screen,” said the newspaper’s editor, David Samuels. “The printed page is an immersive experience without constant distractions or the spectre of other people’s responses on social media. It’s a much more enriching and human experience.”
Continue reading the article online -> (subscription may be required)
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/oct/01/americas-new-print-only-newspaper-county-highway-reinvents-the-art-of-reading-slowly

County Highway is designed to look like a 19th-century newspaper.
County Highway is designed to look like a 19th-century newspaper.


"Billy Markowitz knows there aren’t many people into “cardistry,” the art of shuffling, tossing, and manipulating playing cards in impressive ways.
 
But if you’re searching for fellow fans of the niche hobby, targeting the throngs of college kids, artists, and creatives who pass through Cambridge and Somerville daily is a good place to start.

So when it came time to promote his new monthly “cardistry” meetups, that’s where he headed.

And he knew just how to get their attention: paper fliers."
Continue reading the article online -> (subscription may be required)

Boston-area artists, businesses, promoters, and event planners are still relying on an old-standby: paper fliers.DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF
Boston-area artists, businesses, promoters, and event planners are still relying on an old-standby: paper fliers.DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Tax relief package set for MA House/Senate votes Weds/Thur

"Hailing it as a historic win for taxpayers, Massachusetts lawmakers will begin voting Wednesday on a $1 billion tax package that would boost tax breaks for families, seniors, and others while slashing state taxes on profits from short-term investments, a change that had divided Democrats.

The package would save hundreds of thousands of taxpayers a collective $561 million this fiscal year, according to legislative officials, with expectations that the total savings would eventually climb to just over $1.02 billion once it goes into full effect in fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1, 2026.

Its emergence follows nearly two years of debate and months of closed-door negotiations about how best to ease the burden on taxpayers squeezed by the state’s rising cost of living and bring the tax code more into line with other states.

The House is expected to vote on the measure Wednesday, and the Senate on Thursday, and it is expected to pass and move on to Governor Maura Healey, who has championed the need for tax relief."
Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/26/metro/massachusetts-tax-relief/

Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano (right) unveiled the tax relief deal during a press conference in the Senate Reading Room.PAT GREENHOUSE/GLOBE STAFF
Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano (right) unveiled the tax relief deal during a press conference in the Senate Reading Room. PAT GREENHOUSE/GLOBE STAFF

Commonwealth Magazine provides their coverage ->