Franklin, State House, and Beyond

What do a regulatory panel of legal gambling experts and Democrats in charge of wielding supermajority margins in the House and Senate have in common?

Up until Friday afternoon, one answer was clear: paralyzing indecisiveness. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission did ultimately differentiate itself from legislative leaders, who still can't find agreement, or at least an accord that will net the required unanimous vote, on how much to spend to help businesses and job-seekers compete and aid taxpayers struggling with high inflation. On Friday afternoon, they voted to identify "late January" as the launch date for in-person sports betting at casinos and the state's slots parlor and to identify "early March" as the targeted launch date for mobile sports betting. (Above, Cathy Judd-Stein, chair of the Mass Gaming Commission)

FRANKLIN WEEK AHEAD

Monday, Oct. 10

(Columbus Day)

Tuesday, Oct.11

School Committee Agenda

7:00pm

Wednesday, Oct 12.

Charles River Pollution Control Agenda

3:00pm

Thursday, Oct. 13

Conservation Commission Meeting

7:00pm

STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND

Midway through the general election cycle, the top Democrats and Republicans running for statewide offices, including four open seats, have still not engaged each other in one-on-one debates, leaving voters to judge their options, if they are even paying attention, through carefully worded tweets and prepared statements, slogans and soundbites, and any coverage that the media can provide. Just over two of every 10 registered voters even bothered to cast ballots in the Sept. 6 primary contests, and the mail-in voting stats from that election serve as a reminder that new options for casting ballots mean candidates who are trailing need to quickly turn the tide while front-running office-seekers can try to avoid risks and pile up votes long before election day on Nov. 8. Of the 1,053,977 ballots cast in the primaries, 50.2 percent were submitted before election day, with 45.6 percent of the total votes cast coming through the mail. According to the secretary of state's office, 973,439 mail-in ballots had been requested as of Friday at 9 a.m., representing just over 20 percent of the last official count of registered voters. At the local level, another key election date is approaching as early voting schedules and locations must be posted for each city and town by Friday, Oct. 14. Debates will ramp up over the last month of the general election campaign, giving candidates a chance to interact and undecided voters an opportunity to reach some conclusions and decide whether to vote at all. On Beacon Hill, Democrats who run the House and Senate seem to be having trouble threading the needle on a rich package of tax breaks and spending measures as well as legislation needed to close out the books on fiscal 2022. On the other hand, the perils of trying to pass major legislation during informal sessions right before an election may be causing them to hold their $4 billion economic development bill in their back pockets and wait to act on it after the election or perhaps early in 2023, when there will be a new governor. Gov. Charlie Baker's team at the Department of Revenue is not waiting on another important matter. They are readying tax refunds totaling nearly $3 billion to be delivered starting next month and representing shares of money due back to taxpayers under a 1986 law intended to force state government to share massive surpluses with the workers who helped create them. Those refund numbers will be larger for many wealthier taxpayers, running counter to the goal of a surtax on household income above $1 million per year that will be decided by voters on Nov. 8 in the form of Question 1.

Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022

RAIL EMERGENCY DRILL: MBTA conducts an emergency response drill involving a commuter rail train in the area of the Moore Avenue and the Moore Street spur track in Lowell. The T said the exercise has been planned in detail by experts and "will include a scenario in which a Commuter Rail train traveling on this section of track and carrying passengers makes contact with a vehicle at a grade crossing and derails. Several passengers are injured and others must evacuate the train." Officials said the training is designed to help public safety officials learn to put emergency response plans, policies, and procedures into action in a "learning environment." Lowell Line commuter trains will not be affected by the drill, which will take place on an adjacent track. Media members are asked to check in by 9:45 a.m. at the white tent on Moore Avenue. (Sunday, 10 a.m., Moore Avenue, Lowell)

HEALEY ON 5: Gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey talks with Janet Wu and Ed Harding on "On The Record," followed by a roundtable with analysts Mary Anne Marsh and Rob Gray. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)

RENT CONTROL PARADE: The HONK! Festival, billed as "the longest-running festival of activist brass marching bands," features rent control activists during a parade down Mass. Avenue from Davis Square to Harvard Square. City Life Vida Urbana, tenant association leaders, tenants, small homeowners, and brass bands from around the world are slated to participate. (Sunday, 12 p.m., Davis Square, Somerville)

Monday, Oct. 10, 2022

HOLIDAY OBSERVED: Public offices across Massachusetts are closed Monday for either Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day, with different communities deploying varying names for the holiday. (Monday)

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022

HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches start the short week with informal sessions. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers | House Livestream | Senate Livestream)

CLEAN ENERGY PLAN HEARING: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs holds a third public hearing to accept input on the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 that it released in June. The plan commits Massachusetts to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33 percent compared to 1990 levels by the middle of this decade and by 50 percent, the minimum required under law, by 2030. "To enable Massachusetts to achieve its emissions limits, and sublimits, the plan incorporates two overarching approaches: One, electrify non-electric energy uses and two, decarbonize the electric grid," EEA Secretary Beth Card said in June. "The 2025-2030 CECP also aims to make Massachusetts' transportation and energy systems more efficient to reduce energy costs and the cost of transition. The CECP highlights the commonwealth's plan for 2025 and 2030 while maximizing the ability to realize a 2050 future in which the heat in our homes, the power in our vehicles, and the state's electric grid can all operate with a minimum reliance on fossil fuels." (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Register)

CREEM TALKS TO CLIMATE ACTIVISTS: Sen. Creem participates in monthly meeting of the Mass. Chapter of Elders Climate Action. She plans to talk about takeaways from this term, the Senate Global Warming and Climate Change Committee's priorities for 2023, and advice for advocates for the next legislative session. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Zoom)

MASSDEP HEARING: Department of Environmental Protection holds a virtual public hearing to accept input on proposed new regulations concerning the distribution and sales ban of products containing certain flame retardants. The proposed regulation, 310 CMR 78.00, prohibits a manufacturer or retailer from selling, offering or manufacturing for sale, distributing in commerce or importing into the state bedding, carpeting, children's products, residential upholstered furniture and window treatments that contain chemical flame retardants and chemical analogues prohibited under the regulation. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. | Register)

RIVER STREET BRIDGE MEETING: MassDOT hosts a virtual public meeting to discuss the closed River Street Bridge over the Amtrak and MBTA Northeast Corridor rail lines in Hyde Park. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., More Info)

BEVERLY BRIDGE MEETING: MassDOT hosts a public meeting to present a proposed design for replacing the Bridge Street Bridge in Beverly and provide an update on replacement of the nearby Kernwood Avenue Bridge. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)

GOP POLL TRAINING: Massachusetts Republican Party hosts two virtual training sessions for poll observers and legal advocates on election laws. "We hope you will join us in our election day operation to ensure that we keep watch on election day events," the party said in an invite. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., Poll Observer Zoom | Lawyer Zoom'>)

PLYMOUTH RMV REOPENS: Registry of Motor Vehicles reopens its Plymouth service center, which was closed since mid-September due to a burst water pipe. (Tuesday, 40 Industrial Park Rd., Plymouth)

CALIFORNIA FARM ANIMAL CASE AT SCOTUS: U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case about a California farm animal welfare law that could play a pivotal role in the implementation of similar restrictions in Massachusetts. New space regulations for housing breeding pigs and a ban on the sale of pork products from any animal held in violation of those standards, even in another state, were set to kick in Aug. 15, but Bay State officials paused the start of that segment of the voter-approved law to await the outcome of the California case in the nation's highest court. Industry groups alleged that a California law banning the sale of pork derived from out-of-state pigs housed in violation of the state's new standards -- similar to the law in Massachusetts -- is unconstitutional, so the Supreme Court's ruling could either give state regulators here a green light to proceed or indicate the local law wouldn't stand. The court calendar calls for 70 minutes of argument. (Tuesday)

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022

HPC COMMITTEES MEET: The Health Policy Commission's Market Oversight and Transparency and Care Delivery Transformation committees hold virtual meetings. At the MOAT Committee meeting, HPC staff will preview findings from an upcoming report on the utilization of telehealth and provide an update on recent provider expansions. At the CDT meeting, commissioners will receive a guest presentation from Cost-Effective, Coordinated Care for Caregivers and Substance Exposed Newborns (C4SEN) Investment Program awardee South Shore Hospital. HPC staff then plan to present recommendations from the Quality Measure Alignment Taskforce Health Equity Technical Advisory Group on the evolution of patient experience measurement in the HPC's investment programs. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Youtube)

MASSDOT FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Finance and Audit Committee hosts its monthly meeting, where members plan to discuss discretionary grants, TNC toll protocols, compliance and highway operations. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - DISTRICT COURT: Governor's Council interviews Quincy City Councilor Brian Palmucci, who was nominated last month by Gov. Baker for a District Court judgeship. A member of the City Council since 2010, he operates Palmucci Law, P.C. and has also served since 2018 as a trustee of the Quincy Affordable Housing Fund. He was counsel to the Department of Correction from 2008 to 2010 and previously worked at McGovern and Ganem, P.C. where he specialized in motor vehicle insurance fraud, arson, false injury, and property loss, according to the governor's office. He started out as a Plymouth County prosecutor after his graduation from New England School of Law in 2004. Letters of praise have arrived in the council office from Pasqua Scibelli, director of the Committee for Public Counsel Services' Alternative Commitment Registration and Support Unit; Tom Bowes, president of the Quincy Firefighters Association; and Palmucci's constituent Joan Falvey. Hearing was rescheduled from Oct. 5. Councilor Iannella presides. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

MASSDOT CAPITAL PROGRAMS COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Capital Programs Committee hosts its monthly meeting, where members will discuss the state's new infrastructure bond bill and a tunnel sealing and repair contract. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - GLORIANN MORONEY: Governor's Council opens a public hearing on Gov. Baker's selection of Parole Board Chairwoman Gloriann Moroney for a District Court judgeship. She has led the Parole Board since 2019 and previously worked as its executive director and general counsel. A 2001 New England School of Law graduate, Moroney was a Suffolk County prosecutor for nearly 14 years and also spent eight years as a bankruptcy paralegal at Riemer & Braunstein LLP. If the council confirms her to the bench, it would open up a seat on the Parole Board that Baker could fill during his final few months in office, along with the board's chairmanship which he could assign to any member of the panel. Several councilors voiced concerns about the work environment and state of affairs at the parole agency during the recent confirmation process for Parole Board member Colette Santa, and those themes could reemerge at Moroney's interview. Baker had enough votes on the council to secure a win on Santa's nomination by employing Lt. Gov. Polito as a tiebreaker. Several letters have already been submitted to the council office supporting Moroney a week ahead of her hearing, including notes from Gavin Foundation president John McGahan, Parole Board employee Janis Doyle, and Boston Municipal Court Judges John Garland, Maureen Flaherty, and James Stanton. Councilor Jubinville presides. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

BOSTON COLLEGE CEO: CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch speaks at the Boston College Chief Executives Club luncheon. Lynch, who has served as CEO since February 2021, will join event host Boston Scientific Chairman and CEO Mike Mahoney to discuss the future of health care and employee well-being. An alumna of Boston College, Lynch returns to the school's forum with new notches on her belt: Fortune Magazine's 2022 "Most Inspirational CEO" and top ranked of the magazine's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" for the past two years. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Wharf Room, Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council meets between its multiple public hearings. None of Gov. Baker's nominations are scheduled for a vote Wednesday. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

MYSTIC RIVER CELEBRATION: The Mystic River Watershed Association hosts a celebration and press conference on securing $22 million in grants and bonds for three climate resilience projects. Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Medford Mayor Breanna Lingo-Koehn, Sens. DiDomenico and Jehlen, Reps. Uyterhoeven, Ryan, Barber, and McGonagle, Cambridge Assistant City Manager Iram Farooq, and local officials from the offices of U.S. Reps. Clarke and Pressley are scheduled to attend. (Wednesday 12 p.m., Draw Seven Park, Noonan Place, Somerville)

INCOME SURTAX DEBATE: Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and Dan Cence, spokesman for the Coalition to Stop the Tax Hike Amendment, debate the merits of the proposal on this year's ballot to add a 4 percent surtax on household income above $1 million. Page and the MTA support Question 1 on the November ballot, which is estimated to raise about $1.3 billion a year that lawmakers are supposed to use for education and transportation investments. Cence represents a group of mostly business organizations that oppose the question on the belief that it will make Massachusetts a less competitive place for business activity and give politicians more money to spend as they see fit. Supporters see the measure as a way to make wealthier residents pay their "fare share" while generating money for education and transportation. The debate is hosted by the Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics at Salem State University. (Wednesday, 12:15 p.m., Ellison Campus Center, North Campus, 1 Meier Dr., Salem | More Info)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - PROBATE COURT: Governor's Council interviews Probate and Family Court judicial candidate Megan English Braga, a former chair of the Falmouth Select Board who worked as a solo practitioner until July when she started a new job as assistant register at the Barnstable Probate and Family Court. Braga graduated Suffolk Law 13 years ago; her career prior to the law included stints as a special needs coordinator, student support counselor at a middle school, and clinician working with adolescent offenders involved with the Department of Youth Services. Councilor Ferreira presides. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

CLEAN WATER TRUST: Mass. Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees holds a special meeting to deal with selection of a senior manager underwriter. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Microsoft Teams or Dial (857) 327-9245, Conference ID 720 531 458#)

EARLY CHILDHOOD AGENDA: Strategies for Children hosts two virtual open houses leading into a series of forums to build an "Early Childhood Agenda." The nonprofit says these forums will connect organizations with parents, advocates, businesses, educators, health care providers and government representatives to build an agenda to support young children. Strategies for Children will create five working groups that span topics from financial security to promoting healthy living to producing a list of policy priorities for early childhood. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Zoom | 6 p.m., Zoom)

MASSDEMS CHINATOWN BANQUET: Mass. Democratic Party hosts an eight-course banquet at the Empire Garden in Chinatown featuring "signature drinks" and karaoke, to "support our coordinated campaign organizing efforts up and down the ballot." Boston Mayor Wu and Rep. Michlewitz co-chair the fundraiser. Regular tickets are $150, with options to pay $500 to be on the "banquet influencer level" or $1,500 to be a "banquet super host." (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Empire Garden, 690 Washington St., Boston | Registration)

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022

MBTA AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE: MBTA Board of Directors Audit and Finance Subcommittee meets virtually. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

"AFRO LATINX EXPERIENCE": Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center President Marie Frances Rivera, Museum of Fine Arts chief of learning and community engagement Mariel Novas, and Bunker Hill Community College assistant professor Carlos Maynard are among the speakers at a "lively conversation" titled "Nuestra historia: celebrating the Afro Latinx experience." Hosted by various groups at UMass Boston including Gaston Institute, McCormack School Racial Equity Task Force, and Trotter Institute. Breakfast included. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Alumni Lounge, UMass Boston, Columbia Point, Boston | Registration)

MBTA PLANNING AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE: MBTA Board of Directors Planning, Workforce, Development and Compensation Subcommittee meets virtually. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

CANNABIS COMMISSION: Mass. Cannabis Control Commission meets and is likely to have an agenda stocked with license renewals, changes of ownership, provisional license applications and final license approvals. The CCC is also in the early days of implementing a new marijuana equity and industry law that Gov. Baker signed in August. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)

GAMING COMMISSION: Mass. Gaming Commission is expected to hold a meeting mostly focused on its non-sports betting responsibilities. While there is likely to be at least an update on sports betting implementation, the commission is expected to hear an update on the status of Wynn Resorts' agreement with Realty Income, a real estate investment trust, to sell the Everett casino's real estate for $1.7 billion in cash and to then immediately enter into "a triple-net lease agreement" for Wynn to lease the property back. There could also be a quarterly report on the commission's GameSense responsible gambling program, and discussion related to specific horse racing events at Plainridge Park. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)

MBTA EMPLOYMENT FAIR: The MBTA hosts an employment fair at Boston City Hall as it tries to address staffing shortages that are affecting operations and safety. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Boston City Hall | More Info)

HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to hold informal sessions. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers)

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING MEETING: MassDOT holds a virtual public hearing to provide an opportunity for public feedback and questions on recent outdoor advertising applications. (Thursday, 11 a.m., More Info)

FAMILY NURTURING CENTER: The Boston legislative delegation, Boston City Council, and board members of the Family Nurturing Center and ParentChild+ tour the newly built center in Dorchester to learn about what services are available to Boston-area families. Rep. Miranda and Boston City Councilor Frank Baker are scheduled to speak at the open house. The event will focus on school readiness during the pandemic and how home visits, which ParentChild+ perform, support the hardest hit communities. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Family Nurturing Center, 300 Bowdoin St., Dorchester | RSVP)

BOSTON SUMMER SCHOOL DEBRIEF: Boston Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper and state Education Secretary Peyser meet virtually to discuss summer learning in Boston Public Schools and expanding efforts in out-of-school learning in a Boston After School & Beyond (Boston Beyond) event, "Summer for All." The meeting will showcase students' experiences across over 200 nonprofit and school programs during Boston's summer learning. They will also present trends in program performance, accomplishments and areas for improvement, as well as planned expansion efforts through additional financial commitments from the state and Boston Public Schools. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Zoom)

ENDANGERED SPECIES: MassWildlife's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee meets, and gets an update on the "next round" of changes to the state's endangered species list. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Zoom | Full Agenda)

MBTA WEBINAR: GBH Transportation reporter Bob Seay and Josh Ostroff, Transportation for Massachusetts interim director, moderate a conversation on GBH about recent MBTA blunders called "Teeing Up the Future (of the T)". The Federal Transit Administration released a 90-page report in August that showed major shortcomings in MBTA operations, shortly followed by the 30-day-long Orange Line shutdown that shook commuters' confidence in the system. "What's broken? Who is responsible? What are the short-, medium-, and long-term solutions?" are some of the questions the forum will explore. Participants include Monica Tibbits-Nutt, executive director of the 128 Business Council; Collique Williams, organizer at Community Labor United; Sen. Crighton, Transportation Committee co-chair; and Brian Kane, executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board. The forum will come the day before the U.S. Sen. Warren holds a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee's subcommittee on Economic Policy on the MBTA. (Thursday, 3 p.m. | Register)

BROWDER AT WSU: Author Bill Browder speaks at Worcester State University with U.S. Rep. McGovern about his latest book, "Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath." WSU associate professor of political science Anthony Dell'Aera will moderate a question and answer section following the discussion. Browder's first book released in 2015, "Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder and One Man's Fight for Justice," detailed Russian politics under Putin's leadership during Browder's time as CEO of Hermitage Capital Management in Russia. Browder's account of corruption at Hermitage Capital Management led to the arrest and detainment of Sergei Magnitsky, an auditor for the banking company. Magnitsky's mistreatment and subsequent death drew international attention and led the U.S. Congress to pass the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012, which prevents individuals directly involved with the Magnitsky affair from entering the U.S. and blocks their use of its banking system. Rep. McGovern introduced the House version of this legislation. (Thursday, 4 p.m., Sheehan Multipurpose Room, 486 Chandler St., Worcester)

SOUTH COAST RAIL MEETING - FALL RIVER: MBTA hosts a community meeting in Fall River to discuss the status of the South Coast Rail expansion project, which aims to launch New Bedford and Fall River commuter rail lines by the end of 2023. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Morton Middle School, 1135 North Main St., Fall River | More Info)

CODMAN YARD EXPANSION MEETING: MBTA hosts a public meeting to discuss a planned Codman Yard expansion and improvements project scheduled to begin in November. The project seeks to improve storage capacity at the rail yard, improve Red Line safety and service reliability, and allow crews to navigate the yard more efficiently. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)

TRAN, DIEHL, & BROWN AND HIS BAND: Joint fundraiser for Congressional candidate Dean Tran and gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl features performance by Scott Brown And The Diplomats, the musical act of former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Princeton Station, 147 Princeton St., North Chelmsford)

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS PROCUREMENT SYMPOSIUM: American Bar Association convenes its annual Public Procurement Symposium, running through Saturday and covering topics like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, supply chain challenges, trends in procurement enforcement, recent Cost Accounting Standards developments, and bid protests at all levels of government. President Biden In November signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that authorized $550 billion over fiscal years 2022 through 2026 for new federal investment in infrastructure. (Thursday, Hilton Austin, 500 East Fourth St., Austin, Texas | More Info)

Friday, Oct. 14, 2022

WARREN, SENATORS PROBE T FAILURES: U.S. Sen. Warren presides over a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing examining the economic impacts stemming from a combination of insufficient maintenance, lackluster oversight and management failures at the MBTA. Warren's office said Federal Transit Administration Administrator Nuria Fernandez, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and TransitMatters Executive Director Jarred Johnson will testify, while MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak and Department of Public Utilities Chair Matt Nelson have also been invited. "The T has had a monumental failure in leadership, commuters are the ones paying the price, and it’s time to hold folks accountable and make the necessary changes so everybody can have a safe and dependable ride," Warren said Thursday. "I hope that MBTA Manager Poftak and DPU Chair Nelson will appear at the hearing and share their plan to get the T back on track." Warren sees the hearing moving in a particular direction, forecasting that it "will emphasize the benefits of electrification as a long-term solution to improvise (sic) the reliability and safety of public transit, promote economic development and social justice, and mitigate the impacts of climate change." The hearing, hosted by the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Policy, is the latest look at the shortcomings at the T and the DPU following a scathing report by the FTA and several hearings hosted by state legislative committees, where FTA investigators declined to testify. U.S. Sen. Markey also attends. Media asked to RSVP to press@warren.senate.gov and arrive at 10:30 a.m. (Friday, 11 a.m., JFK Federal Building, Room 900A, 15 New Sudbury St., Boston)

UMASS CHANCELLOR INAUGURATION: UMass Dartmouth holds an inauguration ceremony for Chancellor Mark Fuller. Lt. Gov. Polito, UMass Board of Trustees Chair Stephen Karam and UMass President Marty Meehan make remarks. Fuller was appointed chancellor in August 2021. He came to Dartmouth after 12 years at UMass Amherst, where he spent nine years as dean of the Isenberg School of Management and three years as vice chancellor for advancement. (Friday, 3 p.m., Main Campus Quad, 285 Old Westport Rd., North Dartmouth)

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022

FOSSIL FUEL PROTEST: Members of Climate Courage, the "nonviolent direct action wing" of 350 Mass, don animal costumes and stage a "die-in" calling for Chase Bank to divest from fossil fuel investments. The protesters will be surrounded by mock "methane bubbles" and pretend to choke, according to an advisory. "Climate Courage calls on JPMorgan Chase to immediately divest from fossil fuels, and instead use customers' money to invest in renewable energy, energy conservation, and the protection of critical ecosystems," organizers wrote. (Saturday, Oct. 15, 1 p.m., Chase Bank, 425 Washington St., Boston)

"MARDI & THE WHITES" SCREENING: Conservation group Native Plant Trust hosts a screening of the documentary "Mardi & The Whites," which covers Dorchester native Mardi Fuller and her time in New Hampshire's White Mountains. (Saturday, Oct. 15, 3:30 p.m., Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham | More Info)