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Gov. Maura Healey holds up a copy of a new breast cancer screening law after a ceremonial signing event Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. She signed the act earlier in the month. It was a week of bill signings for Healey, who approved a new clean energy siting law and a jobs and borrowing law. --Alison Kuznitz/SHNS
TOWN
OF FRANKLIN
Tues.,
Nov. 26
Massachusetts
Strategic Health Group
1:00pm
Franklin
Public Schools Budget Workshop Meeting
5:30pm
Franklin
Public Schools Budget Sub Committee Meeting
6:30pm
7:00pm
Franklin
School Committee Meeting
7:00pm
TOWN
OF MEDWAY
Mon.
Nov.
25
School
Committee Negotiations Subcommittee
3:30pm
4:00pm
STATE
HOUSE AND BEYOND
The Legislature and Gov. Maura Healey have tied off work on economic development and clean energy bills, shrinking the legislative agenda heading into Thanksgiving week. Top Democrats successfully chipped away at an array of major bills that were hung up when formal sessions ended Aug. 1, but they've expressed less optimism about accords on three key bills that cleared both branches with overwhelming votes dealing with hospital sector oversight, prescription drug pricing and access, and substance use disorder. Those remain alive and conference committees have just over five weeks to deliver on the solutions lawmakers boasted about when debating the measures. As the governor put her signature this week on the jobs and climate bills, leaders in Boston, Beverly and Marblehead continued to butt heads. Healey this week urged sides to come together and end the teacher strikes that have kept students out of school for two weeks in Beverly and 10 days in Marblehead. "My focus right now is on getting students back in the classroom," Healey said Tuesday. "It is unacceptable that school has been closed for more than a week in Marblehead, Gloucester and Beverly. I'm urging both parties to reach an agreement as soon as possible for the good of our kids, families, educators and staff." Gloucester officials said an agreement had been reached in that city Friday that will enable schools there to reopen after being closed for two weeks.
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu's struggle to reconfigure the city's property tax split to reflect the softened commercial real estate market continues. Wu and four key business leaders came up with a compromise last month and it cleared the Boston City Council but encountered immediate problems when it emerged in the House this week. Critics say the plan delivers a disproportionately large blow to commercial property taxpayers in order to mitigate impacts on residential owners, and the window for finding common ground before tax bills go out is shrinking. House Democrats twice tried to gavel the compromise bill through without showing up for session, enabling Norwell Rep. David DeCoste, who said Friday the bill could "destroy the economy," to unilaterally keep the bill on hold. The drama resumes with Monday's 11 a.m. House session, and the bill could draw further GOP opposition in the Senate if it reaches that branch. As temperatures drop, Beacon Hill also remains mindful of the shelter crisis affecting hundreds of families in the state and putting unprecedented pressure on the state budget. Healey on Friday announced changes she's making to improve management of the family shelter system, and another debate over funding is coming soon because the system is running out of money again. A supplemental funding request is in the works from the administration, which is first waiting for House and Senate Democrats to finalize a spending bill to close out fiscal 2024. The closeout supplemental budget was not sent to a conference committee, the usual forum for reconciling major bills.
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024
CARNEVALE ON 4: MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale talks with Jon Keller about the 2024 election results, President-elect Trump's Cabinet appointments, and the possibility of Auditor DiZoglio switching parties. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
WALSH ON 5: Health and Human Services Secretary Walsh is the guest on "On The Record." (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
DiZOGLIO ON 10: Auditor DiZoglio is the featured guest on "@Issue" with Matt Prichard and Sue O'Connell. Also on this week's program: former Education Secretary Paul Reville and Sen. Lewis of Winchester talk about next steps for education standards after the success of Question 2, which repeals passage of the MCAS test as a high school graduation requirement. (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., WBTS-TV Ch. 10)
Monday, Nov. 25, 2024
MONTE'S MARCH: U.S. Rep. McGovern sets out on the annual walk of 43 miles over two days from Springfield to Greenfield to raise money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which used to be known as Monte's March. McGovern participates for his 12th year in a row. Walk gets going at 7 a.m. after a kickoff ceremony. (Monday, 6:30 a.m., Martin Luther King Jr Community Center, 3 Rutland St., Springfield | Full Schedule)
CATHOLIC CHARITIES: Catholic Charities Boston distributes Thanksgiving meal bags in Brockton through 1 p.m. Mayor Robert Sullivan arrives at 10:30 a.m. (Monday, 10 a.m., Catholic Charities South, 169 Court St., Brockton)
NEWTONVILLE STATION: Gov. Healey joins MBTA General Manager Eng, Congressman Auchincloss and Newton Mayor Fuller for an event celebrating a commitment to rebuild the Newtonville commuter rail station as fully accessible. (Monday, 10:15 a.m., Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton)
HOUSE SESSION: House gavels into an informal session for the third straight business day. The last bill that Democratic leadership tried to bring to the floor, the controversial Boston property tax reclassification plan, prompted Rep. DeCoste, who is worried about the bill's impact on business, to object to a lack of quorum two days in a row. Democrats could move past the Norwell Republican's objection and hold a vote if at least 79 representatives attend a session. Rep. Consalvo of Boston said Friday he hoped to convince DeCoste to stand down ahead of Monday's session and advance the tax bill without making more of his colleagues come to the State House. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)
SENATE SESSION: Senate meets, and is expected to take up several local matters. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Tentative Agenda | Livestream)
MORTGAGE AID: Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll help launch the ONE+ Mortgage Program for first-time homebuyers. The initiative builds off the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's ONE Mortgage Program with $50,000 per household, which can help with downpayments and closing costs. So far, the program has garnered $11 million in support from public and private partners, including the state, the Boston Foundation's Racial Wealth Gap Partnership, Eastern Bank and Eastern Bank Foundation, and the State Street Foundation. ONE+ will support low- and moderate-income buyers in 29 Greater Boston communities, as well as Boston, Randolph and Framingham. Speakers include Healey, Driscoll, Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, M. Lee Pelton of the Boston Foundation, Bob Rivers of Eastern Bank, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, and Clark Ziegler of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. Lynn's delegation includes Sen. Crighton and Reps. Cahill, Wong, Capano and Armini. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development, 10 Church St., Lynn)
CATHOLIC CHARITIES: Catholic Charities Boston distributes Thanksgiving meal bags in Lynn through 4:30 p.m. Mayor Jared Nicholson arrives at 3:30 p.m. (Monday, 2 p.m., Catholic Charities Lynn Food Pantry, 8 Silsbee St., Lynn)
HIGHER ED: Executive Committee of the Board of Higher Education meets virtually. Agenda includes approving the board's FY 26 budget recommendations. Members will also tackle motions to approve a barn project at Framingham State University and a letter of intent from Bristol Community College for an applied science in AI program. (Monday, 2:30 p.m. | Agenda and Zoom)
SWAMPSCOTT HOUSING AUTHORITY: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus tours the Swampscott Housing Authority. The visit marks his 82nd tour of a local housing authority, according to Augustus's office. (Monday, 3 p.m., 6 Duncan Terrace, Swampscott, Press RSVP to kevin.connor@mass.gov)
NORTH END TRELLIS LIGHTING: Annual trellis lighting in the North End's Christopher Columbus Park is hosted by the City of Boston, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park. There will be musical performances, "special guest appearances" from Santa Claus and Rudolph, and hot chocolate and treats. The area is represented by Sen. Lydia Edwards and Rep. Aaron Michlewitz. (Monday, 5 p.m., 110 Atlantic Ave., Boston)
RED LINE REOPENS: Service on the full Red Line is expected to resume Monday after a multi-day closure through much of the line's Cambridge and Boston core. The T suspended service between Harvard and Broadway on Nov. 18 for repairs, and planned to expand the closure to JFK/UMass on Sunday, Nov. 24 to aid with logistics. When service resumes, the entire Red Line will be slow zone-free for the first time in at least 15 years, according to MBTA General Manager Eng. (Monday)
Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024
DCR STEWARDSHIP: Policy Committee of the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Stewardship Council meets. Agenda includes a resource management plan report and landscape designations. (Tuesday, 8 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)
MASSDOT PREQUALIFICATION: Prequalification Committee, housed within MassDOT's Highway Division, meets. Executive session starts at about 8:40 a.m., and the opening meeting resumes at about 9:50 a.m. for decisions and votes. Construction firms must prequalify with MassDOT before bidding on certain construction projects. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. | Agenda and Access)
BRAINTREE HOUSING AUTHORITY: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus tours the Braintree Housing Authority. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 25 Roosevelt St., Braintree, Press RSVP to kevin.connor@mass.gov)
DIABETES AWARENESS: Chicopee holds a flag-raising ceremony to recognize November as Diabetes Awareness Month. Mayor John Vieau, community leaders and health care advocates attend. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., City Hall Flag Plaza, 17 Springfield St., Chicopee)
FRAMINGHAM FOOD DRIVE: Senate President Spilka and Attorney General Campbell attend the United Way of Tri-County's annual "Turkey with all the Fixings" Thanksgiving food distribution drive, and plan to announce a community investment grant from the Greater Boston Food Bank. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 46 Park St., Framingham)
LOTTERY COMMISSION: The State Lottery Commission meets. Treasurer Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., To access, call (857) 208-8030 or email jgoggin@masslottery.com | Agenda)
BOSTON TREE ARRIVAL: Boston's official holiday tree arrives in Boston Common with a police escort. It's the 53rd year that a tree has been gifted from Nova Scotia. City officials say the evergreen Christmas tree also marks 106 years of "friendship with Nova Scotia after the people of Boston provided emergency assistance when Halifax, Nova Scotia's capital, was devastated by a maritime munitions explosion in the harbor in 1917." (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Boston Common, 139 Tremont St., Boston | More Info)
41st HANNA AWARDS: Gov. Healey, Lt. Gov. Driscoll and Public Safety and Security Secretary Reidy host the 41st annual Trooper George L. Hanna Awards for Bravery, the highest state honor awarded to law enforcement personnel. The award is named for a State Police trooper killed in the line of duty in 1983. Healey's administration said 11 honorees from the Acushnet, Berlin, Oxford, Lakeville and Boston police departments, as well as the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Port Authority, will be recognized for exceptional bravery. Hanna's family members will join Healey to present awards. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Transportation holds a hearing on two bills, including Gov. Healey's proposal to prevent hundreds of drivers from losing their commercial licenses. Healey's bill, filed Nov. 15, would prevent passenger vehicle offenses committed before Sept. 30, 2005 from disqualifying them from holding a commercial license. Massachusetts law would align with restrictions at the federal level should Healey's bill clear the committee and both branches before the legislative term ends Dec. 31. The committee will also review a Rep. Murray bill on disqualifications from operating commercial motor vehicles. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Room A-2 | Agenda and Livestream)
WAKEFIELD HOUSING AUTHORITY: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus tours the Wakefield Housing Authority. (Tuesday, 2:30 p.m.,15 Woodbury Rd., Wakefield, Press RSVP to kevin.connor@mass.gov)
LYNNFIELD HOUSING AUTHORITY: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus tours the Lynnfield Housing Authority. (Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., 600 Ross Dr., Lynnfield, Press RSVP to kevin.connor@mass.gov)
HIGHER ED AFFORDABILITY: Commission on Higher Education Quality and Affordability meets virtually. (Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. |More Info)
BOXBOROUGH BRIDGE: MassDOT's Highway Division holds an in-person meeting about the bridge replacement project for Route 111 (Mass. Ave.) over I-495 in Boxborough. "Replacement of the structure will provide the traveling public with a new bridge with a 75-year design life span built to modern design guidelines for clearance above I-495, shoulders to aid in drainage, and accommodations for non-motorized users," the Highway Division says. Boxborough is represented on Beacon Hill by Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Rep. Dan Sena. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall, Grange Room, 29 Middle Road, Boxborough)
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024
SPRINGFIELD DISPENSARY: Cannabis dispensary EMBR SPFLD holds its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new building on a formerly vacant lot. There's also a new urban pocket park. Speakers include Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Sen. Gomez and Rep. Ramos. The store opens at 8 a.m., and the program starts at 10 a.m. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 461 Boston Road, Springfield)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - POLLY PHILLIPS: Governor's Council interviews criminal defense lawyer Mary "Polly" Phillips of Concord, a District Court judicial candidate. Councilor Devaney presides. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
HOUSE SESSION: House plans to hold an informal session. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
SENATE SESSION: Senate plans to meet. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS: Governor's Council meets, and is expected to certify Massachusetts' electors for president of the United States. Council could also vote on the confirmation of Superior Court nominee Ira Gant. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024
THANKSGIVING PARADE: University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band participates in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, led by director Timothy Todd Anderson. The 403-person marching band last performed in front of Macy’s on 34th Street during the parade in 2013. Parade features 10 other marching bands, 22 of the iconic balloons, 34 floats and more. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., New York City)
PINE STREET INN: Thanksgiving celebrations at Pine Street Inn kick off at 9:30 a.m. when Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy drops off 50 pies and elected officials arrive. Lyndia Downie, executive director of Pine Street Inn, shares updates at 10 a.m. on the organization's housing efforts, including exceeding 1,000 units of permanent supportive housing in Boston and Brookline. Mayor Wu, U.S. Sen. Markey, House Ways and Means Chair Michewitz, City Councilor FitzGerald and McAvoy carve turkeys. Shelter guests and volunteers will be available to speak with media at 10:30 a.m. The Thanksgiving menu features more than 2,000 meals, including over 120 turkeys, 250 pounds of cranberry sauce, and 50 gallons of gravy. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., 444 Harrison Ave., Boston)
Friday, Nov. 29, 2024
BLACK FRIDAY: The Friday after Thanksgiving typically marks a boost in retail purchases and the informal kickoff of the holiday shopping season. Americans typically spend more than $20 billion in online and in-store shopping on Black Friday, according to CapitolOne Shopping Research. Several malls and major outlets in Massachusetts including the Natick Mall, Burlington Mall and Copley Place will open early on Friday to accommodate more shoppers. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts is forecasting a modest 1.5 percent increase in local holiday sales this year because of a slightly shorter season after a late Thanksgiving and high costs of living. (Friday)
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024
SHIP LIGHTING: Billed as Boston's "newest holiday tradition," a holiday lighting ceremony of the wooden play ship in Martin's Park -- located in the Seaport -- is hosted by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Martin's Park. The ship is the main feature of the playground with waterfront views, and the park commemorates 8-year-old Martin Richard who died in the Boston Marathon bombing. The ship, fencing and pedestrian bridge will be decorated with more than 1,500 feet of blue and white tube lights. There will be entertainment, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa, who will arrive by boat with the Boston Police Harbor Unit at the Harborwalk. (Saturday, Nov. 30, 4 p.m., 64 Sleeper St., Boston)
