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LATEST GAMING COMMISSION WILL PURSUE SETTLEMENT TO END WYNN LAWSUIT
2/20/19 5:49 PM
After more than five hours behind closed doors discussing the lawsuit former casino magnate Steve Wynn filed last November against the commission and its chief investigator, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to direct its general counsel to begin finalizing a settlement that could resolve the case. Read More
LYFT LINKING BOSTON RIDERS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT OPTIONS
2/20/19 5:13 PM
Ridesharing app Lyft announced a new feature for Boston users on Wednesday that will show public transit routes and schedules within the app, a move the company's leaders say will help improve accessibility to various forms of transportation. Read More
BIDEN LEADS, WARREN FOURTH, IN PAIR OF POLLS
2/20/19 4:14 PM
The early favorite to win the New Hampshire primary hasn't even declared his intention to run for president, according to a new UMass Amherst poll that showed U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren running fourth in the Granite State. Read More
McGOVERN PUSHES SINGLE PAYER AS HOME STATE WEIGHS REFORMS
2/20/19 2:45 PM
As state lawmakers eye another run at health care reforms aimed at helping community hospitals and enabling scope of practice changes while preserving the existing system's framework, Congressman James McGovern is looking to overhaul the entire health care system. Read More
U.S. House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern. [Photo: Sam Doran/SHNS/File 2018] | Hi-Res
LAWMAKERS MONITORING "PAINFUL" SITUATION AT HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE
2/20/19 10:20 AM
As Hampshire College on Tuesday announced the layoffs of nine people from its admissions and advancement offices, lawmakers who represent the Amherst school said they are looking for ways to support their constituents. Read More
MASSCHALLENGE CHIEF WANTS TO MINIMIZE "FRICTION" FOR STARTUPS
2/20/19 8:14 AM
Startup accelerator MassChallenge turned within its own ranks for a successor to its outgoing CEO, selecting chief operating officer Siobhan Dullea to lead the organization. Read More
RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT STRUGGLES WITH DECLINING ENROLLMENT
2/20/19 5:12 PM
The Pioneer Valley Regional School District, which spans four Franklin County towns along the borders of Vermont and New Hampshire, has seen its enrollment drop by 288 students over the past decade, with state aid falling in tandem. Read More
REGION'S POWER SOURCES INTENSIFY RISKS IN WINTER, GRID OPERATOR SAYS
2/20/19 3:46 PM
As New England continues to move toward greater reliance on natural gas and renewable power, the region also faces a growing risk of energy demand outpacing supply, according to the organization that operates the system. Read More
TRACKING SYSTEM CITED AS SALEM STORE HALTS RECREATIONAL POT SALES
2/20/19 2:43 PM
One of the nine retail marijuana stores to have opened its doors to non-medical customers is putting an indefinite freeze on all recreational sales as it tries to restock its inventory of marijuana. Read More
PERSONNEL FILE - WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20, 2019
2/20/19 2:20 PM
... There are new chiefs of staff at the House and Senate Ways and Means committees ... Auditor Suzanne Bump has put the former head of the American Nurses Association on the Health Policy Commission, which took a controversial stance on a nurse staffing ballot question last year ... the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce has a new government relations manager ... UMass Dartmouth has a new vice chancellor of A&F ... and, just in, there's been a shakeup at the highest level of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency ... Please enjoy the Personnel File ... Read More
BOSTON'S BOND RATING REAFFIRMED AT AAA
2/20/19 12:01 PM
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh touted his administration's budget management and the city's growing tax base Wednesday as he announced that two major credit rating agencies reaffirmed the city's AAA bond rating. Read More
GAMING REGULATORS AGAIN HOLDING CLOSED TALKS ON WYNN LAWSUIT
2/20/19 11:37 AM
[Coverage Developing] The Gaming Commission went into an executive session late Wednesday morning to discuss litigation strategy in the lawsuit former casino magnate Steve Wynn filed last November against the commission and its chief investigator. The commission could reconvene in public later Wednesday to vote on a matter related to the suit. Read More
PRESSLEY, ROLLINS TO JOIN YOUTH RALLIES ON THURSDAY
2/20/19 10:11 AM
Calling for criminal justice system changes affecting juveniles and more state funding for youth jobs, hundreds of young people plan to rally Thursday on Boston Common, where they are expected to hear from U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley. Read More
FED-UP LAWMAKERS REACH FOR SOLUTIONS TO EASTIE TRAFFIC
2/20/19 7:00 AM
Vehicles are entering the Sumner Tunnel at "unprecedented levels," thousands of rides on services such as Uber and Lyft head to and from Logan Airport each day, and on residential streets, traffic backs up for hours on end. Read More
![[Source: MassDOT]](https://www.statehousenews.com/content/frontpage_photo/2019/02-19_Sumner_tunnel_volumes_MassDOT.jpg)
[Source: MassDOT]
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019
TRANSPLANT INDUSTRY PLANS TO BRING 5,000 TO BOSTON IN JUNE
2/19/19 5:01 PM
Experts in the fields of organ and tissue transplants plan to gather in Boston this year for the 2019 American Transplant Congress. Read More
DNC'S BRAZILE ON TUFTS CAMPUS TUESDAY NIGHT FOR TALK
2/19/19 2:20 PM
Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile will speak on campus Tuesday night to students and Tufts University community members about "contemporary politics" and campaigns. Read More
PERSONNEL FILE - TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2019
2/19/19 1:44 PM
... The CEO of a leading behavioral health care trade group is stepping down this summer ... Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins has a new chief of staff ... MassDevelopment named a senior vice president of Devens ... Bunker Hill Community College has a new dean of workforce and economic development ... ML Strategies has hired a new government relations manager ... Please enjoy the Personnel File ... Read More
SENATE SESSION - TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2019
2/19/19 1:23 PM
The Senate gave over the bulk of its Tuesday morning session to local Boy Scouts who presented their annual "Report to the Commonwealth" of scouting activities in 2018. The report was read by scout Lily Desgroseilliers, who noted that girls started participating in the organization Feb. 1 and that she hopes to someday rise to the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouts also presented Senate President Karen Spilka with a ceremonial check representing their donation to a charity in her district. Before adjourning, senators placed on file a report from the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance detailing real property owned and leased by the state, and concurred with the House in sending a sick leave petition to the Committee on Public Service. - Sam Doran Read More
HOUSE SESSION - TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2019
2/19/19 12:02 PM
Returning from a long weekend with schools on vacation the remainder of the week, the House met for two minutes on Tuesday to pass a resolution recognizing an Eagle Scout in Rep. Kate Hogan's district. Legislators received their committee assignments last Thursday, which means the new chairs will soon be scheduling organizational meetings for their committees and thinking about hearing schedules for the thousands of bills that will soon be referred throught the Clerk's office. The House will return for another informal session on Thursday. - Chris Lisinski Read More
COMPRESSOR STATION OPPONENTS TO MEET WITH BAKER ADMIN OFFICIALS
2/19/19 8:36 AM
Activist Andrea Honore has gained attention for hosting regular sit-ins in Gov. Charlie Baker's office lobby to highlight opposition to a natural gas compressor station planned in Weymouth. On Tuesday afternoon, Honore and some of her allies will have the eyes and ears of Baker administration officials during a private meeting. Read More
PARTNERS NAMES KLIBANSKI AS INTERIM PRESIDENT/CEO
2/19/19 7:33 AM
With a one-year timeline to find a permanent CEO, Partners HealthCare on Monday named Dr. Anne Klibanski, its chief academic officer since 2012, as interim president and CEO. Read More
Report: Volatility in Residential Construction
LENOX DEM LOOKS TO STANDARDIZE NARCAN POLICIES
2/19/19 4:31 PM
Almost half the state Legislature has lined up behind a bill that would require all first responders in Massachusetts be equipped with an opioid antagonist like Narcan. Read More
BETTORS GIVE MGM SPRINGFIELD, PLAINRIDGE COLD SHOULDER IN JANUARY
2/19/19 1:27 PM
In terms of revenue, January was the worst month in the short history of MGM Springfield and the worst month in almost two years for the slots parlor at Plainridge Park Casino. Read More
LAYOFFS, DOWNSIZING ON HORIZON AT HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE
2/19/19 1:27 PM
A month after Hampshire College officials announced they were seeking a long-term partner to help the school stay viable, its leadership is now envisioning a "significant restructuring" involving layoffs and short-term downsizing. Hampshire's Board of Trustees on Sunday voted to authorize President Miriam Nelson to investigate "several possible strategic approaches," Nelson wrote in an email to the Hampshire community. Read More
PEYSER: RELIABLE CHARTER AID WOULD ADDRESS STATE'S "BROKEN PROMISE"
2/19/19 12:28 PM
Nine years ago, as part of a broader education funding reform package, state lawmakers boosted the amount of money and the period of time that school districts are reimbursed for charter school tuition payments, citing the need to cover fixed costs. That 2010 law revamped a formula that reimbursed districts 200 percent of their costs over three years, bumping it up 225 percent over six years. Read More
VETO-PROOF NUMBERS COULD SPELL END TO WELFARE CAP
2/19/19 12:26 PM
Advocates for legislation to lift a cap on family welfare benefits say they have secured the backing of a majority of lawmakers in each branch as they press to finish an effort that came close to the finish line last session. Read More
NATURAL GAS HOOKUPS OFF LIMITS IN MORE MASS. TOWNS
2/19/19 12:01 PM
As proposals to build new pipelines and related infrastructure meet opposition from community leaders and environmental activists across Massachusetts, gas companies have frozen new gas hookups several communities citing a lack of pipeline capacity. Read More
EVENT COMPANY OPENS FLAGSHIP SHOWROOM IN SOUTH BOSTON
2/19/19 11:26 AM
An event and tent rental company with showrooms in four New England states has merged its Boston locations into a 4,000-square-foot showroom on Elkins Street in South Boston. Read More
MASS. NOT AMONG 16 STATES BEHIND NATIONAL EMERGENCY LAWSUIT
2/19/19 11:25 AM
A coalition of 16 states that often includes Massachusetts filed a federal lawsuit in California Monday challenging President Trump's declaration of a national emergency in order to divert funds toward building border walls. Read More
ANNUAL POWER GRID UPDATE PLANNED FOR WEDNESDAY
2/19/19 8:13 AM
The New England power grid has a "strong foundation," but still faces vulnerabilities, according the operator of the regional system, ISO-New England. Read More
VERMONT SEN. SANDERS AGAIN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT
2/19/19 7:07 AM
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who gave Hillary Clinton a strong challenge in the 2016 race for the Democratic presidential nomination, is joining the growing field of candidates running for president in 2020. Read More
Monday, Feb. 18, 2019
SENATOR: JUNE PRIMARY WOULD BENEFIT MASS. VOTERS
2/18/19 7:00 AM
Last year's Sept. 4 primary election was about two weeks earlier than is typical for Massachusetts, moved up so that it would not conflict with Jewish holidays. But despite the alteration, it was still the sixth-latest primary election in the United States. Sen. Becca Rausch wants to change that. Read More
