Massachusetts News & Current Events

One in 30 teens ages 13 to 17 experience some form of homelessness without a parent or guardian during a year. (Taylor Pecko-Reid/Flickr)

Monday, December 6, 2021

"Path to Help" Campaign: Resources for Homeless MA Youth

BOSTON -- The holidays can be a tough time for many young people who have aged out of foster care or don't have a stable home situation, and …

The federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program in Massachusetts runs from Nov. 1 to April 30. (pololia/Adobe Stock)

Stay Warm This Winter with Fuel Assistance, Weatherization Programs

GLOUCESTER, Ma. -- As cold weather moves in, agencies are working to make sure Massachusetts residents know how to apply for fuel assistance and …

Old electronics can be sold, donated or recycled instead of thrown out to reduce waste. (Mihail/Adobe Stock)

Consumers Advocate: Give Experiences, Refurbished Gifts This Holiday Season

BOSTON -- This holiday season, consumer advocates are urging Commonwealth residents to consider giving gifts that don't require purchasing anything…

Across the United States, there are nearly 600 federally recognized Indigenous tribes. (Wikimedia Commons)

MA Indigenous Communities Gather in Plymouth for Day of Mourning

PLYMOUTH, Mass. - While many non-Native Americans sit down with their friends or families for a holiday meal tomorrow, some Indigenous communities in …

The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is the neighborhood Land Trust for 23 towns in northern and central Massachusetts. (Wikimedia Commons)

Anthology Spotlights Value of Land Trusts Across Northeast

NORTHFIELD, Ma. -- Land trusts across the Northeast have partnered with poets this year for the first edition of "Writing the Land," an anthology to …

Retired Navy Capt. Thomas G. Kelley hails from Boston and is among the 66 still living Medal of Honor recipients. (Wikimedia Commons)

Medal of Honor Museum to Pay Tribute to Recipients, Including 66 Still Living

BOSTON -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking Thursday's Veterans Day holiday by spotlighti…

Pumpkin seeds germinate best in soil that is between 80 and 85 degrees. (encierro/Adobe Stock)

Naturalist: Recycle Jack-O-Lanterns, Use Pumpkin Seeds as Birdfeed

BOSTON - Now that Halloween has passed, groups recommend recycling leftover jack-o-lanterns, rather than sending them to landfills. Pumpkins are 90% …

The legislative committees on redistricting have yet to put out congressional maps. (Christian Pauschert/Adobe Stock)

Groups Hope New Maps Can Bring More Reflective Diversity to MA Politics

FALL RIVER, Ma. -- The redistricting process in Massachusetts is well under way, with the Senate expected to vote soon on new maps for the next …

Four post offices in Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland and New York are offering payroll and business checking services. (eqroy/Adobe Stock)

USPS Changes Have MA Postal Workers Worried About Agency's Future

WORCESTER, Mass. - Post offices across Massachusetts and the nation are implementing service changes in an effort by the agency to cut costs…

Representatives from Indigenous groups that worked with acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey to establish Indigenous Peoples Day in the city joined her for the declaration signing. (City of Boston)

Communities Urge Recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day Across MA

BOSTON -- The city of Boston has declared today Indigenous Peoples' Day for the first time, and a bill before the General Assembly would make that …

The Worcester city manager has announced school resource officers will be removed by the end of the year, following Easthampton's example from earlier this year. (Jazmine/Adobe Stock)

Report: More Student Support Needed to End School-to-Prison Pipeline

BOSTON -- With the new school year in full swing, a new report from the Sentencing Project outlines key steps Massachusetts and other states could …

In the last month, women took unpaid leave from work to care for children at roughly 1.8 times the rate of men, according to Census Bureau data. (shangarey/Adobe Stock)

Affordable Child Care Helps MA Families Get Back to Work

HOLYOKE, Mass. - With the school year in full swing for Massachusetts K-through-12 students, many parents are seeking early-childhood education and …

In the Spring 2021 MCAS exams, 46% of students in grades 3 through 8 scored "Meeting Expectations" or higher, down from 52% in 2019. In math, the "meeting expectations" score dropped from 49% in 2019 to 33% this year. (number1411/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups Urge New Framework for Standardized Testing

BOSTON - Educators, parents and union leaders say Massachusetts needs a major overhaul of its standardized testing for students. The most recent …

According to The Pew Research Center, liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans are more likely to have heard about "cancel culture" than their more moderate peers. (Adobe Stock)

MA College Course Explores Holding People Accountable with Respect

By Sonali Kolhatkar for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Lily Bohlke for Commonwealth News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Six hundred people in Massachusetts died of illnesses related to air pollution in their communities last year alone. (Andrei Murkulov/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups Push Bill to Stop Clean-Energy Subsidies for Woody Biomass Plants

SPRINGFIELD, Ma. -- Groups working to reduce air pollution are testifying at a hearing today to urge state lawmakers to prevent wood-burning biomass …

Massachusetts officials expect roughly 1,000 Afghan refugees will be resettled in the Commonwealth. (jinnifer douglass/Adobe Stock)

A Call for Transparency in Resettlement of Afghan Refugees

BOSTON -- Advocates for human rights and civil rights in Massachusetts are urging more transparency and clear information on plans to resettle Afghan …

When drivers fill up their tanks in Massachusetts, they pay 24 cents per gallon to the state and a little more than 18 cents per gallon to the federal government. (blackday/Adobe Stock)

MA Ballot Initiative to Ban Fuel Tax Gets Pushback

BOSTON -- Advocates for clean transportation are fighting a proposed ballot initiative, which would prevent Massachusetts from taxing gas and other …

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Boston is one of the community leaders featured in the Uncornered Boston Photo Project. (Boston Uncornered)

Exhibit Showcases Ties Between Boston Residents, Historic Mayoral Race

BOSTON -- A new photo exhibit in the Seaport District showcases the surprising ties between a wide swath of Boston residents. The Boston Uncornered …

Nearly 80% of respondents to a Project Bread survey said they had experienced food insecurity, but just over 30% knew little or nothing about SNAP. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Group Applauds SNAP Benefit Increase, Says Barriers Still Exist

BOSTON -- Groups working to end hunger in Massachusetts say the upcoming increase to SNAP benefits, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance …

Agencies charged with reviewing rental-assistance applications say it can take roughly 4 to 6 weeks, and that's one reason a moratorium on evictions is so critical. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Renters Behind on Payments Urged to Check Eligibility for Assistance

LOWELL, Mass. -- As landlords and real-estate companies challenge the Biden administration's new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) …

Of the Massachusetts users who consulted the website 'iFixit.com' last year, 23% of searches were for cellphone repair guides, and 17% were for laptops. (NorGal/Adobe Stock)

Report: People Face Barriers to Repairing Their Own Electronic Devices

ROSLINDALE, Mass. - A new report finds Massachusetts residents would rather repair electronic devices than send them to landfills, but manufacturers …

In addition to recommending teachers, students and school staff member mask up indoors this fall, new CDC guidelines recommend even vaccinated people wear masks in areas with high COVID case numbers. (Vasyl/Adobe Stock)

MA Educators Welcome CDC Guidance to 'Mask Up' in School

BOSTON - Educators' unions are calling on the state to support their efforts to ensure in-person learning in the fall keeps students, teachers…

The right whale population has decreased by more than 100 animals since 2010. (Stephen Meese/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Widespread Public Support for Protecting Right Whales

BOSTON -- A new survey finds widespread public support up and down the East Coast for protecting right whales from getting tangled up in fishing gear…

Uber and Lyft are among the app-based companies that successfully campaigned for a ballot initiative to allow them to classify their workers as independent contractors. (Kaspars Grinvalds/Adobe Stock)

Organized Labor Urges Congress to Pass PRO Act

BOSTON - The AFL-CIO is holding a week of action to urge Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize - or PRO - Act, what some labor …

Massachusetts is home to more than 5,000 DACA recipients. (Scott Maxwell/Adobe Stock)

More Calls for Pathway to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants

BOSTON -- Immigrants' rights advocates are calling on Congress to pave the way to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people in the U.S…

The budget passed by the Massachusetts General Court includes $1 million for VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs. (Centaur/Adobe Stock)

Gov. Baker Urged to Commit to Anti-Poverty Efforts in State Budget

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Community Action Agencies applauded the Massachusetts General Court for its commitments to anti-poverty efforts in the 2022 state …

The 2020 Census revealed more than 7 million people call Massachusetts home, so the Commonwealth will still have nine representatives in Congress after redistricting. (iQoncept/Adobe Stock)

Bill Would Give Public Comment Time for New MA Voting District Maps

BOSTON -- Every ten years, after the Census, local municipalities usually draw new precinct boundaries before state lawmakers draw new voting …

Massachusetts raised the age of criminal responsibility from 17 to 18 in 2013, the fourth state to do so. (Flickr)

Report: 'Raise the Age' Law in MA Reduced Youth Detention

BOSTON - The number of kids and teens detained in Massachusetts has decreased since the state started treating arrested 17-year-olds as juveniles rath…

Just two states give people incarcerated for felonies the right to vote - Vermont and Maine. (Orlowski Designs LLC/Adobe Stock)

Groups Call for Increased Voting Access in MA Prisons, Jails

BOSTON -- Advocates for voting rights are calling on Massachusetts lawmakers to increase access to the ballot box in jails and prisons before this fal…

July 2020 was the hottest recorded month in Boston, and climate planners predict it's a record that could be broken often in the future. (Paolese/Adobe Stock)

MA Climate Planner Warns of Extreme Summer Heat

BOSTON -- More and more summer days in Massachusetts are reaching temperatures above 90 degrees, and climate resiliency planners say the trend is …

The theme of this year's National HIV Testing Day is "My Test, My Way," emphasizing the multiple ways to get tested. 2021 marks 40 years since the first cases of HIV and AIDS were reported. (jarun011/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge MA Residents to Get Tested for HIV, Work to End Stigma

WORCESTER, Ma. -- This Sunday is National HIV Testing Day, when people are urged to find out their HIV status and work to end the stigma around HIV …

In a recent Census Bureau survey, more than 40% of Massachusetts households where at least one member planned to pursue higher education canceled or reduced their course load during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Disparities Persist in MA Despite Top Rank for Child Well-Being

BOSTON -- A new report ranks Massachusetts 'Number One' nationally among states for overall child well-being, but advocates for children and families …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

BOSTON -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US …

By a 159-41 vote in a joint session, Massachusetts state lawmakers passed a bill to put a 4% tax on annual incomes of more than $1 million on the 2022 ballot. (Plashing Vole/Flickr)

'Fair Share' Amendment Campaign Seeks to Win Voters' Approval in 2022

NEW BEDFORD, Ma. -- Advocates for higher taxes on the top 1% of income earners are launching a campaign to get voter approval of the "Fair Share" …

Massachusetts has launched efforts to reduce racial and socioeconomic disparities in vaccination rates, but while some communities' rates are through the roof, others still lag behind. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

MA Could Use Rescue Plan Funds for Public Health System Updates

BROCKTON, Mass. -- Some public-health experts want Massachusetts to use more than $250 million from the American Rescue Plan for major updates to the …

The White House is mobilizing city officials, community-based and faith-based partners, businesses, colleges and others to help get as many Americans vaccinated as possible by July 4. (MIA Studio/Adobe Stock)

MA Community Makes Progress on Goal to Vaccinate 70% of Adult Population

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - A Massachusetts community has joined the Mayor's Challenge to help meet the goal of getting 70% of the U.S. adult population …

An average of five people per week died by gun violence in Massachusetts in 2019, according to the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. (pfeifferv/Adobe Stock)

MA Group Urges Steps to Curb Gun Violence

BOSTON -- Gun-safety advocates in Massachusetts are looking to put pressure on lawmakers to tackle the nationwide epidemic of gun violence on National…

A Greater Boston Food Bank survey found that only one in three adults experiencing food insecurity in Massachusetts is getting food from charitable sites, like food pantries. (Adobe Stock)

High Demand for Food Assistance Persists in MA

BOSTON -As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and the country opens up, some Massachusetts residents are still feeling the ripple effects of the …

Roughly 18,500 households in Massachusetts are excluded from the Earned Income Tax Credit because at least one member can't get a Social Security number. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Report: MA Should Open Earned Income Tax Credit to Working Immigrants

BOSTON -- Groups are calling on Massachusetts to open up the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to working residents who pay taxes but may not qual…

The University of Massachusetts system is the Commonwealth's third-largest employer. (Wikimedia Commons)

UMass Workers Urge Campuses to Shore Up Shortages

BOSTON -- Workers in the University of Massachusetts (UMass) system say short-staffing is putting undue strain on existing employees, and limiting …

In a new survey, more than three-quarters of Massachusetts nurses said they support a strike by nurses at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester over what they saw as unsafe staffing practices. (Massachusetts Nurses Association)

Nurses Weigh In on Patient Care, Staffing, Safety in MA Hospitals

BOSTON -- Nurses' unions and advocates for patients' rights want to see legislation to better protect nurses on the job, and the people they care for…

Around $5 million in funding for Community Action helped agencies with a variety of support systems in the past year, including keeping food pantries open during the pandemic. (aerogondo/Adobe Stock)

Funding "Critical" for MA Anti-Poverty Efforts, Post Pandemic

TAUNTON, Mass. - Community Action Agencies say $5 million in the House version of the Massachusetts state budget next year would go a long way toward …

The American Families Plan includes federal funding for universal preschool as well as community colleges. (C.C. Chapman/Flickr)

Free Community College Could Help Equitable Economic Recovery

BOSTON -- Community colleges have helped push recovery forward in past times of economic hardship, and their advocates say federal funding will help …

New census data shows Massachusetts has more than seven million residents, and will keep nine representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next decade. (Siberian Art/Adobe Stock)

Coalition Calls for Citizens, Community Groups' Input on New District Maps

BOSTON -- The first batch of 2020 Census data came out this week, with population counts and an announcement of the number of representatives each …

The landmark climate bill signed into law last month, among other measures, prioritizes decarbonizing buildings, which currently represent about 30% of the Commonwealth's emissions. (Adobe Stock)

MA Groups Look to Build on Landmark Climate Bill This Earth Day

BOSTON -- This Earth Day, as President Joe Biden convenes a climate summit with world leaders, Massachusetts environmentalists hope federal efforts …

The Merrimack River Watershed has been identified by the U.S. Forest Service as one of the most threatened watershed areas due to forest land development. (Kenneth/Adobe Stock)

MA Conservationists: Protect Riverfront Forests to Improve Water Quality

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- The U.S. Forest Service is partnering with a group of agencies and nonprofits to conserve water quality and forest health in the …

One in five Americans reported a family member became ill or even died during the pandemic without having an end-of-life plan in place. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge End-Of-Life Conversations This National Healthcare Decisions Day

ROCKPORT, Mass. - On National Healthcare Decisions Day, advocates are urging folks to make a formal plan for the end-of-life medical care they want…

More than 1.5 million Massachusetts residents have been fully vaccinated. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups Urge Expanding Focus on Vaccine Equity

WORCESTER, Mass. - Some groups in Massachusetts want to see more focus on getting COVID-19 vaccinations to people in underserved communities hit …

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