State Sen. Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester) and Rep. Peter Kocot (D-Northampton) have filed bills in the Senate and House respectively that would reform Massachusetts’ public records law. The Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance (MassFOIA), comprised of journalistic and open government organizations, has been calling for Massachusetts’ public record laws to be updated for years but have recently redoubled their efforts in hopes that these new bills will become law.
In light of recent criticism, Northeastern University made a payment to the City of Boston on March 2 through the Payments in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) program designed to help cover the costs of municipal services. The university originally paid nothing for the 2014 fiscal year.
Crowds cheered at the University of Phoenix Stadium and all across New England last month as the Patriots secured a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. But on game day, away from the excitement of the field and the bleachers filled with fans, a very different scene was unfolding as the FBI worked to rescue potential human sex trafficking victims from pimps. In 2014, 25 people were rescued, while the FBI apprehended 45 pimps.
An updated map illustrating the public transportation system on an unprecedented scale has been released by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as of Feb. 27. The new map covers the New England region and New York, and includes routes by bus, ferry and train.
Although the MBTA board has been taking a lot of heat recently for its performance following blizzard conditions, it must make another tough decision by April 15. With scarce financial resources, the MBTA must decide the future of its late-night service. The four options under consideration are elimination, cost reduction, fare increases and increased sponsorships.
As of Monday morning, more than 104 inches of snow had fallen on the City of Boston this winter, causing school closings, bringing MBTA service to a halt and creating travel catastrophes. However, local businesses are perhaps the most hurt by this series of storms.
Key testimonies unfolded during the trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, which resumed on Feb. 13 following several snow cancellations. Hernandez, along with two other suspects, has been accused of murdering Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player and former friend of Hernandez, in a North Attleboro industrial park on June 17, 2013.
Boston Public Schools (BPS) and city officials are taking action to deal with the unusually high number of snow days schools have been forced to take this year.
Many Massachusetts nursing homes are struggling to provide sufficient care for their dementia patients due to a lack of funding for necessary training and staffing. These deficiencies come in spite of relatively new regulations aimed at improving conditions for dementia patients.
