People, Power, and Politcs

From using artificial intelligence to reduce the state's notorious traffic to canceling the midcentury net-zero emissions commitment and temporarily suspending the state gas tax when pump prices climb, Mike Minogue began Thursday to detail his "Blueprint for a Better Future." The Republican gubernatorial nominee's campaign released a document outlining the plans he described at a campaign stop at Shea Concrete in Amesbury on Thursday morning. It describes many of the things Minogue has made central to his pitch to voters over the last year -- a pledge to "stop the overspending, expose the waste and corruption, and provide transparency" via audits of the Legislature and state budget, nonspecific plans to cut taxes, and a previously detailed healthcare strategy.

FRANKLIN
New Town Website Does Not Support “Cut and Paste” of calendar entries. . Steve Sherlock from Franklin Matters has kindly compiled and and shared the below information. Thanks Steve!

We are in the middle of September and the week ahead holds a full slate of meetings.

The Ad Hoc Committee for the Town Administrator Evaluation starts to work on Monday morning.

The Planning Board meeting is canceled on Monday evening but they along with members of the Design Review, Conservation Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeal are slated for participation in a “Permitting 101” discussion on Thursday at the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting.

The Horace Mann Legacy Committee continues their work on Monday. The 250th Anniversary Celebration also meets Monday in a virtual session.

Design Review has enough business to continue to hold their session on Tuesday.

The Town Council has a full agenda with recognition of a number of Town employee retirements, legislative updates from Senator Rausch and Rep Jeff Roy, presentations from the Franklin Food Pantry, SAFE Coalition, and the 250th Anniversary Celebration

The Council holds office hours Thursday morning at the Senior Center

The 250th Events Subcommittee is scheduled to continue their work on Thursday as well as the Economic Development meeting mentioned above.

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news/ where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 9/11/26 9:00 PM ***

Town Administrator Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

Monday, September 14 Time: 9:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2498

FPS - Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2500

Planning Board Meeting-Cancelled

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2493

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2501

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, September 15 Time: 12:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152026-2510

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152026-2499

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, September 16 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162026-2512

Town Council Monthly Office Hours

Thursday, September 17 Time: 8:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2506

EDC Meeting (with Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission & Design Review Commission)

Thursday, September 17 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2504

DR - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2496

PB - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2503

ZBA - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2484

250th Anniversary Celebration Events Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, September 17 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2511

*** Looking back at the week that was ***

Town/ School meetings

On Tuesday, the School Committee Policy Subcmte met. The recap and exclusive audio can be found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/schcmte-policy-subcommittee-tac…

Also on Tuesday, the School Committee got insights into the District Improvement Plan for this school year and provided feedback. The meeting recap and video https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/school-committee-gets-insights-…

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday. Franklin TV video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v0hjRy54lg

FHS Sports broadcasts

FHS girls varsity soccer game on Tuesday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8HrEx4uEyk

FHS football game on Thursday shared via coverage by Wachusetts High School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D63b_TI3WA

FHS girls volleyball match vs Bishop Feehan on Friday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AipFJCMPv8

All Access programming

The Second Sunday Speaker Series in August features Scott Mason sharing the Franklin connection to the bombing of Nagaski, Japan in World War II. The video is available for replay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtNLXDSr-Q

An episode of Once Upon a Town, filmed with an audience at Franklin TV Studios was published to YouTube. Watch to find out about the history of the race track that used to be on the land where Shaw’s and the HOrace Mann Plaza is today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwWnZ06S0dw

Franklin Matters

Town Council Quarterbacking with Councilor Max Morrongiello recapping the Council’s Sep 2 meeting is available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/town-council-quarterbacking-wit…

The audio recording of the 25th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Services is available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/franklin-fire-dept-25th-anniver…

—-----------

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news/ where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html

MEDWAY
Medway’s new website, likewise, does not readily support cut and paste. Go to medwayma.gov.

STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND

Primary elections and their recounts are now over, punctuated by Senate President Karen Spilka's declaration Thursday that "the results speak for themselves. Now it’s time to put the primary campaign politics behind us." Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano haven't laid out a fall agenda aside from waiting on movement among the pile of bills that have been in conference committee talks for months. There have been no real signs that lawmakers have a clear idea of when any of those conference committees might reach an agreement. One, the panel formed six weeks ago to negotiate a compromise that could begin to ease access to primary care doctors, has its initial meeting scheduled for Thursday. Daniel Lander, the Democrat who came up 36 votes short of unseating Senate President Pro Tempore Will Brownsberger in the primary, ticked off a list of things he thought senators could have been working on this week rather than showing support for Brownsberger at a Boston City Hall recount. "Personally, I believe that there's a lot of business that is undone on Beacon Hill right now that would be a perfectly good use of the first Wednesday after Labor Day to get done," he told the News Service. "Things like getting phones out of our high schools, things like building more affordable housing, expanding the public transportation system." Though legislative rules limit what bills can be done in formal sessions during this portion of the term, the House and Senate can always advance legislation without recorded votes so long as no elected members object. There's even one committee holding a hearing next week -- the Election Laws Committee has a bill to allow ranked choice voting for local elections in Salem on the agenda. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who backed Lander and another challenger amid frustration with the Senate's handling of her priority legislation, speaks Wednesday at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce event.

Next week could provide an updated look at household financial health, poverty and health insurance coverage in Massachusetts. The U.S. Census Bureau is releasing the findings of three reports, including one that will give a snapshot of health coverage here before major federal policies take effect next year altering Medicaid eligibility. Gov. Maura Healey's administration is working on a fiscal year 2026 closeout budget, one that it told the Boston Globe will include a waiver of interest and penalties to give companies who have an active tax liability because the state delayed its conformity with a federal tax change related to research and development incentives.

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026

GUN CONTROL ON KELLER: Political analyst Jon Keller hosts a mini debate on Question 9, which seeks to repeal the 2024 gun control law, during his weekly talk segment "Keller at Large." Speakers include Toby Leary of the No on Question 9 campaign and Ruth Zakarin of the Yes on Nine for a Safe Massachusetts campaign. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV)

DEATON ON NBC: Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton joins NBC 10 reporter Matt Prichard on the network's weekly "@ ISSUE" segment. (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., NBC 10)

DIONNE 'ON THE RECORD': Republican candidate for treasurer Elizabeth Dionne joins WCVB's weekly political talk show "On the Record." (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB)

AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL: Gov. Maura Healey celebrates the arrival of the 104th Fighter Wing's F-35A Lightning II at the Barnes Air National Guard Base. The aircraft is the U.S. Air Force's "latest fifth-generation fighter" and has an "enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate," according to the 104th Fighter Wing's website. It adds: "The F-35 is designed to provide the pilot with unsurpassed situational awareness, positive target identification and precision strike in all weather conditions." Other attendees include Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Congressman Richard Neal, Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon and Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe. (Sunday, 11 a.m., Main Hangar 15, 815 Southampton Road, Westfield)

Monday, Sept. 14, 2026

SJC: Supreme Judicial Court sits with two cases on the docket. (Monday, 9 a.m., John Adams Courthouse, Room 1, Boston | More Info)

SENATE: Senate meets without a calendar. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)

HOUSE: House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Energy Efficiency Advisory Council's Equity Working Group meets. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Access)

HUNGER ACTION MONTH: DoorDash and the YMCA of Greater Boston mark Hunger Action Month with an event announcing a DoorDash donation to the YMCA's food-access work. Sen. Kennedy, Rep. Livingstone, Boston City Council President Breadon and Councilors Weber and Murphy are scheduled to attend, along with YMCA of Greater Boston President and CEO David Shapiro and DoorDash's Daniela Michanie. Two mobile food-delivery trucks will be on site, and media interviews and visuals are available through 12:30 p.m. (Monday, 11 a.m., Greater Boston Collaborative Food Access Hub, 30 Northampton St., Boston)

FIRE TRAINING COUNCIL: Massachusetts Fire Training Council meets. Agenda includes a fiscal affairs report, a legislative update and a report on academy activities, among other items. (Monday, 11 a.m., 1 State Road, Stow | Agenda)

VETERANS BENEFITS: Executive Office of Veterans' Services holds a public hearing on proposed regulatory changes for the administration of Chapter 115 veterans' benefits. The safety net program provides benefits for veterans facing financial difficulties, and eligible individuals can receive help with daily living expenses, medical costs, rental assistance and behavioral health. Officials say the changes are meant to modernize and clarify the regulations, provide more guidance on eligibility and financial determinations, update the appeals process and ensure regulatory consistency. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Access)

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: Hazardous Materials Mitigation Advisory Board meets. Agenda items include a fiscal 2026 incident review and support for the Big E. (Monday, 2 p.m. | Agenda and Access)

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026

SURVIVOR RELIEF BILL: U.S. Rep. Pressley holds a press conference to unveil legislation that would establish financial relief for survivors of sexual violence, including survivors of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She is joined by Tarana Burke of the "Me Too" Movement, Liz Speakman of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, and Dahlia Locke of World Without Exploitation, along with others. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., House Triangle, U.S. Capitol Complex, Washington, D.C. | Media RSVP)

CENSUS REPORTS: U.S. Census Bureau holds an online press conference to announce the findings of three reports focused on income, poverty and health insurance coverage in the United States in 2025. There will be a question-and-answer session after the presentation. The health insurance analysis could offer a key snapshot before major federal policies take effect next year for Medicaid eligibility. The uninsured rate in Massachusetts was 2.1% last year, according to a survey from the Center for Health Information and Analysis; that percentage is expected to double when MassHealth work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks take effect under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Bay State families held a median net wealth of $370,000 last year, according to a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and The Boston Foundation. But that wealth metric varied dramatically across factors including race, age, educational attainment, homeownership and place of residence. (Tuesday, 10 a.m. | More Info and Register)

FUTURE OF MEDICINE SUMMIT: Boston Globe hosts its annual Future of Medicine Summit, starting with a fireside chat with former White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha. A 10:30 a.m. discussion - called "The New Outbreak: Are We Ready?" — features Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein, Dr. Beth Cameron of Brown University and Dr. Nahid Bhadelia of Boston University's Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases. A session at 2 p.m. explores how cancer vaccines are "rewriting the rules of treatment." (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Joseph B. Marin Conference Center, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston | Register)

ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION: The Yes 4 Election Day Registration campaign kicks off its push for the ballot questions that would enable eligible Bay Staters to register to vote or update their registration on Election Day. The event coincides with National Voter Registration Day. Supporters say the question represents a "straightforward, secure, and proven reform to increase turnout and strengthen civic participation." MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale warns the question could undermine election security and create "avoidable vulnerabilities in election administration," according to her remarks in the state's voter information guide. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Worcester Common Oval)

SOUTH HADLEY FIRE DISTRICT: Sen. Oliveira presents a ceremonial $50,000 check to the South Hadley Fire Department District 1, which will support radio and communications upgrades. Oliveira secured the money in the state budget, his office said. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 144 Newton St., South Hadley)

ELECTION LAWS COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Election Laws holds a public hearing on a trio of bills, including a Rep. Cruz measure (H 5584) to enable ranked choice voting in Salem. A Sen. Eldridge proposal (S 3186) aims to have Massachusetts conform with the federal Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022. "This bill would safeguard Massachusetts voters from being disenfranchised by faithless presidential electors," a summary from Eldridge's office says. "Based on model legislation by the non-partisan Uniform Law Commission, this bill would automatically replace any presidential electors in Massachusetts who cast an electoral vote ballot that does not conform with their prior pledges, a best practice that is already mandated by the District of Columbia and 26 states." (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-2 | Agenda and Livestream)

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL: Lexington officials hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Lexington High School, Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Lexington High School, 251 Waltham St., Lexington)

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026

WU AT GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks during a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce government affairs forum. More than 600 business, civic, nonprofit and community leaders are expected to attend. Wu is coming off unsuccessful attempts to influence primary battles, in which the candidates she endorsed to unseat her rivals on Beacon Hill did not have the breakthroughs the mayor wanted. After tense recounts, Sen. Will Brownsberger emerged victorious over challenger and former Wu aide Daniel Lander. Sen. Nick Collins defended his seat against Wu-backed Latoya Gayle. Sen. Mike Rush, who was also endorsed by Wu, lost his seat to challenger Persis Yu. (Wednesday, 9:45 a.m., Boston Marriott Copley Place, 110 Huntington Ave., Boston | Register)

WILMINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Wilmington holds a groundbreaking ceremony for Wilmington Elementary School, Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Wilmington Elementary School, 320 Salem St., Wilmington)

BRENSLEY ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT: Anne Brensley, a Republican running for secretary of state, holds a press conference to announce a "major election access proposal with statewide implications," according to her campaign. Brensley pivoted to running for secretary of state as a write-in after allegations of fraudulent nomination signatures derailed her campaign for lieutenant governor. Election results from the secretary of state's office show Brensley secured her name on November's ballot after earning 21,330 votes in the primary, exceeding the necessary 5,000 votes she needed to qualify. Brensley will be joined by Portuguese-American community leaders and the announcement "will focus on ensuring that every eligible voter can understand the ballot and participate independently in Massachusetts elections," according to her campaign. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., City Gates Plaza, Ponta Delgada Boulevard, Fall River)

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities meets. Agenda includes a presentation from Elizabeth LaMontagne, MassHealth's chief operating officer. There's also a Health Care For All presentation about federal changes to MassHealth eligibility and enforcement. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Room 222 | Agenda and Livestream)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council holds a hearing on Gov. Healey's nomination of Kristen Bonavita as a District Court judge. She's run a solo practice in Newburyport for the past 15 years. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN BOARD: Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board meets. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Morse Institute Library, 14 E. Central St., Natick | Zoom

CCC SOCIAL EQUITY CLINIC: Cannabis Control Commission holds a remote application clinic and information session for those interested in applying for the social equity program. (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. | More Info and Registration)

MASSDOT CHELMSFORD: MassDOT holds a design public hearing on proposed safety improvements for Vinal Square in Chelmsford. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Chelmsford Senior Center, 75 Groton Road, North Chelmsford | More Info)

Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026

GIC: Group Insurance Commission meets. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m. | More Info and Livestream)

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL: Statewide Mental Health Advisory Council meets. Agenda includes an introduction from Department of Mental Health Commissioner Emily Bailey, who was sworn into the role in May. Bailey will talk about her vision for the department and council. There will be an update on DMH hires. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m. | Agenda and Access)

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT: Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission holds its Emerging Issues Forum. Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University, discusses the status of the state's economy and budget. Agenda also includes an AI panel. (Thursday, 9 a.m., DoubleTree by Hilton, 5400 Computer Dr., Westborough | More Info)

STEP THERAPY PROTOCOLS: Division of Insurance's Commission on Step Therapy Protocols meets. State law defines a step therapy protocol as a "utilization management policy or program that establishes the specific sequence in which a prescription drug for a specified medical condition is covered by a carrier." The commission is tasked with analyzing the impact of the protocols on total medical spending, premiums and out-of-pocket costs. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | More Info and Access)

MUNICIPAL LAW SEMINAR: Division of Local Services legal staff hold the agency's annual "What's New in Municipal Law" seminar for local officials, the first of two in-person sessions. A general morning session covers new legislation, recent court decisions affecting local government including Appellate Tax Board rulings, and DLS updates, followed by three concurrent afternoon workshops on treasurer/collector, accounting, and assessing issues. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Bentley University Conference Center, 175 Forest St., Waltham | More Info)

KERSHAW 9:30 CALL: Early Education and Care Commissioner Kershaw provides agency updates and takes questions on Strategies for Children's "9:30 Call." (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Access)

GALVIN MIDDLE SCHOOL: Canton Public Schools holds a groundbreaking ceremony for Galvin Middle School, Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Galvin Middle School, 55 Pecunit St., Canton)

CCC MEETING: Cannabis Control Commission holds a public meeting. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Union Station, 2 Washington Sq., Worcester | More Info and Access)

SENATE: Senate meets in an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)

MASSDOT OUTDOOR ADVERTISING: MassDOT Office of Outdoor Advertising meets. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info and Zoom)

HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION: Health Policy Commission board meets. Staff will preview data on GLP-1 drug trends, which will be included in an upcoming report from the agency's Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis. Skyrocketing demand for costly GLP-1 weight loss drugs has strained insurers' budgets, forcing many to stop coverage over affordability concerns. MassHealth and the Group Insurance Commission have also halted coverage. Agenda also includes a review of recommendations from Gov. Healey's Health Care Affordability Working Group. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Livestream)

DPU SITING, PERMITTING: Department of Public Utilities gives an overview of the new siting and permitting process at the Energy Facilities Siting Board for large clean energy infrastructure projects. Attendees will learn about key regulatory changes and how the board evaluates projects and makes decisions. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Zoom)

STATE STREET: Procurement officers from State Street discuss opportunities for small business suppliers in an event hosted by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Pacesetters initiative. State Street says it's "committed to engaging a broad range of suppliers" and actively seeks "overlooked" vendors, according to the chamber. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Register)

PRIMARY CARE: House and Senate negotiators on primary care reform legislation hold their first meeting. The branches largely agree on setting a 15% primary care spending target, though they differ on how quickly the state should reach that goal and which healthcare entities should be responsible for pumping more money into the sector. The proposals also envision a new capitated payment model that moves away from the traditional-fee-for-service structure. Health Care Financing Committee Co-chair Sen. Cindy Friedman is leading negotiations for her branch. But her co-chair, Rep. John Lawn, was not picked for the assignment and the House side will instead be led by House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz. (Thursday, 1 p.m., Room 428A)

CEDAR HILL SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Stoughton Public Schools holds a groundbreaking ceremony for Cedar Hill South Elementary School, Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Cedar Hill South Elementary School, 171 Ash St., Stoughton)

BPS HOMELESSNESS: Boston City Councilors Ben Weber, Liz Breadon and Julia Mejia hold a public hearing to discuss strategies for addressing homelessness among Boston Public Schools families. More than 10% of the BPS student population experienced homelessness in the 2024-25 school year, and a Boston College study found that unstable housing has a "strongly negative impact on student performance," according to Weber's office. Panelists include BPS Chief of Student Support Cory McCarthy, Boston Office of Housing Stability Director Danielle Johnson and FamilyAid President Luciano Ramos. (Thursday, 2 p.m., Boston City Hall, Iannella Chamber, 5th floor, Boston | Livestream)

MASSDOT MILTON: MassDOT holds a public meeting about a Milton intersection improvement project on Route 28 at Chickatawbut Road. (Thursday, 6 p.m. | Access)

BLUE HILL AVE UPDATE: MBTA and city of Boston host an informational meeting on an updated design for the Blue Hill Avenue Transportation Action Plan. Attendees can review the project design block by block, and provide feedback on parking regulations, street lighting, green space, and support for small businesses. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., BCYF Perkins Community Center, 155 Talbot Ave., Boston)

6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEBATE: Endicott College hosts a debate between the Democratic and Republican candidates for the state's 6th Congressional District. Essex Republican Micah Jones, who has been endorsed by former Gov. Charlie Baker, and Democrat Dan Koh, who prevailed in a crowded primary, are set to face each other in November's general election. Endicott's Center for Civic Participation is holding the debate in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the North Shore. Members of the media are asked to RSVP to attend and cover the debate. The debate will be moderated by Katie Lannan, editor of MASSterList. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Endicott College's Clearly Lecture Hall, 376 Hale St., Beverly)

Friday, Sept. 18, 2026

WESTERN MA RALLY: Sens. Velis and Gomez and Reps. Ashe, Gonzalez, Domb, Duffy, Finn, Arriaga and Pease participate on a legislative panel as The Caring Force holds its third annual Western MA Rally to support the Provider's Council. The Caring Force is an advocacy initiative part of the Providers' Council, a nonprofit human services organization. (Friday, 9 a.m., Scanlon Hall, Westfield State University, 715 Western Ave., Westfield | RSVP)

MASSHEALTH DENTAL SERVICES: MassHealth holds a public hearing on the emergency adoption of regulations imposing a cap on adult coverage for dental services, based on a limit the Legislature agreed to in the fiscal 2027 budget. The cap is $1,750 per member, which officials say is expected to cut costs and is "anticipated to enable MassHealth to maintain dental benefits for the general adult population without cutting services." Gov. Healey wanted to limit adult dental benefits to $1,000 annually. (Friday, 10 a.m. | More Info and Access)

LEGAL SERVICES CONFERENCE: Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Greater Boston Legal Services and the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation host the 13th annual legal services conference, featuring panels on immigration law shifts, the use of AI in legal aid, and a keynote from Sen. Lydia Edwards, who will sit for an interview with State House News Service reporter Sam Drysdale. (Friday, 12 p.m., Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 10 Winter Pl., Boston)

J. WARREN KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Reading officials hold a groundbreaking ceremony for J. Warren Killam Elementary School, Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Friday, 2 p.m., J. Warren Killam Elementary School, 333 Charles St., Reading)

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026

MINUTE MAN MARCH: Minute Man Arc hosts the 22nd annual Minute Man March. The one-mile walk through Concord is meant to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofit's programs that it says helps more than 1,400 people with disabilities in Middlesex County. Sen. Eldridge, a Minute Man Arc board member, is set to attend. There will be an outdoor celebration with food, music, a silent auction and other activities. Registration for the walk is $30 and opens at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m. (Saturday, Sept. 19, 9 a.m., Alcott School, 93 Laurel St., Concord | More Info and Registration)