Mayoral rivals meet up
While the incumbent mayor didn't escape the first forum of the cycle hearing some criticism of her record, the most effective arguments against her were made by candidates who have yet to qualify for the ballot.
Wu took the stage at a downtown Boston theater alongside three other mayoral hopefuls: Josh Kraft, a longtime non-profit executive and son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; Domingos DeRosa, a longtime activist and former city employee; and Alex Alex, a 24-year-old Dorchester resident who immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a youth. As of Thursday, Wu and Kraft were the only candidates to have met the requirements to be on the ballot this fall.
For the most part during the two-hour long forum, candidates focused more on their own talking points than on landing blows on the competition, drawing on personal backstories and laying out plans to address everything from housing to education. That meant few memorable moments in a debate that could have done more to move the needle for Kraft — viewed as the frontrunner against Wu — four months out from the preliminary election.
Wu planted punches on Kraft, criticizing his calls to trim the city budget and going back and forth over transportation policy. When he declined to clearly answer a yes-or-no question, she dubbed him 'Mr. Halfsies.' Kraft took most of the attacks in stride, offering Wu a good-natured handshake in response to the new nickname.
And while he knocked the city's response to the addiction crisis that's long plagued the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard intersection — giving Wu an 'F' on the issue — he acknowledged that solutions were 'easier said than done.'
The night underscored one the challenges Kraft faces: introducing himself to voters in the city familiar with the famous last name but not the candidate, while undercutting Wu's popularity — without coming off as too abrasive.
One moment that attendees likely won't soon forget — in a night with mostly forgettable moments — came during a rapid-fire question section in the last minutes of the forum, when moderator and GBH News reporter Saraya Wintersmith asked candidates to say which ward they lived in.
Kraft, who bought a condo in the North End in 2023, said he didn't know, eliciting some grumbling from the crowd of mostly of Democratic Ward Committee members.
GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF. Missed the forum? You can watch it here.
TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at a groundbreaking for Motta Field at 10:30 a.m., attends the grand opening of Cannery Wharf Park at 11:15 a.m. and speaks at a Seasonal Communities Advisory Council meeting at 1 p.m. in Provincetown before attending La Colaborativa's Masquerade Gala at 7 p.m. in Chelsea. Attorney General Andrea Campbell and attorneys general from New England host a town hall at 6:30 p.m. in Boston. Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the city's Haitian flag raising at noon at City Hall.
THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Seth Moulton speaks at Newburyport's 3T & 2C Democratic Breakfast at 9 a.m. in Newburyport Saturday. Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney is on WBZ's 'Keller @ Large' at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Mike Kennealy, a Republican candidate for governor, is on WCVB's 'On the Record' at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
DATELINE BEACON HILL
AGREE TO DISAGREE — State Democratic House and Senate leaders tasked with finding common ground on a new joint rules package downplayed their points of disagreement during a rare 30-minute public conference committee meeting Thursday. But the sentiment between the chambers is still so fraught that all it took was a couple questions for the long-simmering frustration to spill out into the open.
What started out as a sleepy status update (Most of the more significant differences between the two proposals had been tabled.) turned into an edgy back-and-forth between lead negotiators once the formal conference committee meeting closed.
After ticking through the dozens points of disagreement that remain, lawmakers moved to close the session and meet again at a date TBD. Then, the real debate began.
Sen. Cynthia Creem and Rep. Michael Moran stood side by side as they took questions from reporters for more than 15 minutes after the meeting officially ended, each offering rebuttals to answers the other gave, debating differences over the meaning of 'attendance' in live time.
By the end of scrum, they seemed closer to an agreement on that issue — Moran hinted the House may be willing to 'soften' its position on remote attendance. But it's unclear how soon negotiators will reach an agreement on the more than two dozen remaining differences.
— Advocates and immigrants demand Healey intervene in ICE arrests by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: 'Immigrants and advocates are asking Gov. Maura Healey to intervene in the ongoing immigration-related arrests across Massachusetts. … There are no firm numbers on how many people have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Massachusetts since President Donald Trump took office nearly four months ago. But advocates have seen a surge in activity in recent weeks. Immigrants say the flurry of ICE sightings is 'paralyzing communities,' and that these are arrests 'state-sanctioned violence.''
FROM THE HUB
— Boston City Hall staffers placed on unpaid leave after alleged domestic incident by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: 'Two City Hall staffers, including Boston's chief of staff for the office of police accountability, have been placed on unpaid leave after being arrested on charges related to an alleged domestic assault, according to officials and court records. Marwa Khudaynazar, 27, and Chulan Huang, 26, were arrested after police responded early Thursday to an apartment on Hudson Street in the city's Chinatown neighborhood.'
— Lego cuts the ribbon on new Back Bay headquarters: 'Boston attracts great tenants' by Jon Chesto, The Boston Globe: 'Already the world's largest toy company, Lego keeps finding new ways to grow — and now Boston will play a key role in helping with that momentum. Executives at the Danish toymaker joined with Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu — plus two brave souls dressed like Lego characters Jester and Pirate Princess Argenta — to officially cut the ribbon on Lego's new US headquarters in the Back Bay on Thursday. Although the 157,000-square-foot office over six floors opened this month, the corporate relocations from Enfield, Conn., will continue through the end of next year.'
EYES ON 2026
— GOP candidate for Massachusetts governor Mike Kennealy backs gun law repeal by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Mike Kennealy, a Republican candidate for Massachusetts governor, said he supports a campaign to repeal a sweeping gun law that Beacon Hill Democrats say creates safer communities but opponents criticize as an overreach of governmental powers. In pledging to support efforts to repeal the law, the 57-year-old from Lexington has sided with a group of gun owners, hunters, and Second Amendment rights activists who have launched a ballot question campaign asking voters to buck the statute during the 2026 statewide elections.'
FROM THE DELEGATION
— Millions are behind on student debt. Pressley wants to stop wage garnishment for those in default. by Hannah Loss, GBH News: 'More than 5 million people in the United States could soon have their student debt sent to collections — and another 4 million are months behind on their payments. Combined, that's almost 1 in 4 student loan holders across the country. Since the Department of Education resumed sending accounts in default to collections last week, some lawmakers like U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley are trying to curb the hurt that can cause — like wage garnishment.'
FROM THE 413
— Springfield and attorney general coordinating to recover $20 million feds snatched by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: 'The federal government has confirmed its cancellation of a $20 million environmental grant to the city of Springfield, but officials are not giving in.'
— 'This is not fair to us': Amherst Regional Middle School leaders outline poor conditions, ask committee for help by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Falling ceiling tiles, locked bathrooms with broken stalls and a class schedule that regularly drops a guided academic study and advisory period are among concerns Amherst Regional Middle School student leaders are bringing to the Regional School Committee.'
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Honking at undercover ICE car set off Worcester arrest firestorm, family claims by Adam Bass, MassLive: 'The daughter of Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a Brazilian mother of three who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 8 at Eureka Street, says that the arrest of her mother started after her partner honked at an undercover car with ICE agents. Augusta Clara Moura, the 21-year-old daughter of Ferreira-De Oliveira, presented new details about how ICE arrested her mother as well as her partner, and how she was threatened with arrest by ICE agents.'
— 3 citizens' petitions take aim at MBTA zoning by Buck Anderson, The Salem News: 'Citizens' petitions aimed at overturning zoning in place to comply with the state's MBTA Communities Act are likely to draw much of the attention at Monday night's Annual Town Meeting [in Danvers]. Three petitions — Articles 36-38 — come near the end of the 39-article agenda. Two of the articles propose Town Meeting reject measures it has already taken to come into compliance with the state law, while the third seeks close scrutiny of those changes and further zoning amendments to address 'overdevelopment' they will cause.'
— Worcester Memorial Auditorium project gets $25 million commitment from state by Henry Schwan, Telegram & Gazette.
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Christian Scorzoni, the Lowell Sun's Alana Melanson, Emma Rothschild, former Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey, Kayla Scire and Alvin Gunnion. Happy belated to Western Mass Governor's Councilor Tara Jacobs, who celebrated Thursday.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Ralph Neas and Robert Petito, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers POLITICO and Boston Globe alum Bryan Bender, state Rep. Bill Driscoll Jr., Erik Smith, Robert Colt, Patrick Long, Jason Meininger, Judy Boullet and Josh Troop.
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Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Wu has boosted Boston neighborhoods. But downtown still struggles with post-COVID blues.
The impact of Wu's strategy can be felt on last year far surpassed 2019 levels, according to credit-card data tracked by the Boston Planning & Development Agency. To many small business owners in these thriving districts, City Hall's influence made a crucial difference during the pandemic and the rocky years that followed. Advertisement 'The city of Boston has provided me, provided our restaurant, with the help to stay open,' said Fernando Rosas, owner of Bono, a Latin American restaurant and caterer in East Boston. 'Without that help, I don't think we would be open.' Advertisement In January, city officials held a ribbon cutting at Jadu, a new cafe in Jamaica Plain that received a city storefront grant and was one of the first businesses to receive one of the new 225 liquor licenses the state created for Boston. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff But that same BPDA research also highlights the downsides of Wu's approach. small businesses that remain say they're struggling to survive. 'We are fighting for customers,' said Julie King, co-owner of Villa Mexico Cafe on Of course, much of this stark reversal of fortune is spurred by economic forces beyond any big city mayor's control. The post-COVID shift toward hybrid work has buildings near King's restaurant — have decamped from downtown entirely. That has created an emptier central business district. While foot traffic has improved since 2020, Related : Advertisement And it's not just downtown retailers that feel the impact. High vacancy rates are because commercial property tax, much of it from downtown, fuels a lion's share of the city's $4.8 billion budget. Indeed, the city's third ward, a slice of downtown that includes the Financial District, has a taxable real estate value of $43.7 billion, according to the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, while properties in Jamaica Plain and Roslindale together are valued at $6.6 billion. So when it comes to the city's budget, even small declines downtown can have big implications. Business leaders have criticized Wu for not using her bully pulpit — as some other big-city mayors have — to prod employers to bring workers back to the office. And even as the Fernando Rosas is the owner of Bono Restaurant and Catering in East Boston. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Still, Wu notes, major companies have continued to come to Boston, such as 'You can't have one without the other, especially today when office buildings don't exist on their own as magnets for activity,' Wu added. 'When we make every neighborhood a destination, when we make every neighborhood exciting and safe and activated, that also means that residents, people, employees are staying in Boston." Advertisement Mayoral challenger Josh Kraft hasn't released a plan for small business or for downtown, but has said he wants to make Boston more business-friendly in general and that Boston is hardly alone in the struggle to revive its downtown, cities from Washington to San Francisco are wrestling with similar trends. And shops and restaurants outside commercial cores of cities are flourishing everywhere, observed Jesse Baerkahn, president of Graffito SP, a Boston real estate advisory firm. 'People are shopping and dining less near where they work than where they live,' he said. 'From a community economic development to retail real estate ... there's really just one thing you need — which is human beings.' Yet at the same time Wu is trying to boost small businesses in residential neighborhoods, she is also trying to spur more people to live downtown. The city closed down Summer Street downtown for a "Boston Blooms" event to celebrate spring and a lull in the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2022. Lane Turner/Globe Staff In 2023, the city began offering 'It's just a question of how realistic is it to bring that idea to scale. Is there enough demand?' said Poftak. 'Can you do it quickly enough to make a difference?' Wu has also stepped up events that aim to to bring people downtown, from Advertisement Those have helped boost foot traffic at Boston Public Market, which houses about 30 vendors on Congress Street near City Hall Plaza. The market draws about 1.7 million visitors a year, said Boston Public Market CEO Cheryl Cronin, but that's still down 25 percent from before the pandemic. 'This is what everyone downtown needs to bear in mind,' Cronin said. 'You need to work harder to get the same people here.' The nonprofit market has weathered the downturn, Cronin said, thanks largely to state funding and philanthropy. But downtown business owners don't have that kind of safety net. General manager Elias Khoury at Pita Thyme in downtown Boston. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Pita Thyme, Business has improved slightly year over year, Khoury said, but is still down 40 percent compared to before the pandemic. He doesn't think Wu can do much to convince more workers to return to office, but she could make the area safer and cleaner. Khoury points to how a nearby restaurant that shuttered months ago was broken into recently, and had to be boarded up. When he gets in at 6 a.m. to prep food, he often finds homeless people sleeping in stoops and stairwells. 'Let's say I own a company and I want to move into Boston, and I come and see that in the morning. It's just makes you think twice,' said Khoury. Advertisement A homeless person slept in the doorway at the shuttered 2Twenty2 bar on the corner of Liberty Square and Water Street. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Yet in business districts that ring downtown, the optimism is palpable, despite broader headwinds such as inflation and tariffs. At Latino Beauty Salon in Egleston Square, owner Rosana Rivera said she's busier than ever. Her client base has doubled since she got a Rivera bought new furniture and invested in other upgrades that she believes attracted new customers. Noting that before the mayor got into politics, Wu had opened her own tea shop, Rivera said, 'She knows what it's like to have a business.' In Jamaica Plain, restaurants such as Tres Gatos, Casa Verde, and The Haven have expanded and seen their businesses grow since the pandemic. Meanwhile, new spots are opening, like coffee and wine bar Even Jason Waddleton, owner of the Scottish pub The Haven, plans to offer a gameday shuttle to the stadium in Franklin Park, just 1 mile away. 'I anticipate us being a hub for supporters,' said Waddleton. 'I want to get that same vibe pre-game that you see in European cities.' And up in East Boston, Rosas is hopeful, too. He first Business has been good, Rosas said, though on days there are immigration raids customers stay home. More than anything, he's bullish about the future of East Boston. 'I imagine East Boston in 10 years it's going to become the new, probably Back Bay,' said Rosas. 'You're closer to the city, you have a train. You still can find the same amenities in a condo here that you probably have in the Back Bay at a much lower price.' People played soccer at LoPresti Park in East Boston. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Involuntary commitment should be on the table in the opioid crisis
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Advertisement Wu administration officials told me they have been doing that since February and dispute the idea that the mayoral race has anything to do with it. To back up that contention, they cited Advertisement According to data supplied by city officials, so far this year in the Mass. and Cass area, there were 51 petitions for involuntary commitment under Section 35. According to this data, arrests are up, as well as what are called 'interactions' with people on the streets for situations involving drugs, fights, intoxication, panhandling, and vandalism. Documenting those interactions 'can also support a petition for a Section 35,' a Wu spokesperson pointed out. The issue of involuntary commitment is politically polarizing. From the liberal perspective, if someone believes that at some point a homeless person with substance-abuse issues should not be able to refuse treatment, they are considered callous, cold-hearted, and willing to violate the due process rights of others, with no understanding of what it takes to overcome the misery of addiction. Advertisement And yet, what about the rights of law-abiding citizens to live without stepping over needles or encountering assaults and other violence in front of their homes? Why should their rights be trampled? Never one to resist the chance to push a hot-button issue, President Trump presented that side of the argument in a recently issued executive order. Titled But the rationale behind the policy is also worthy of consideration: 'Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order,' states the Trump executive order. 'Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens.' Meanwhile, the impact on quality of life is unacceptable. Residents are very frustrated. Their patience is gone. Advertisement Imagine seeing what they see every day in front of your own home and it's easy to understand why. Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Politico
4 days ago
- Politico
Two Kraft campaign advisers exit
CAMPAIGN SHAKEUP — Two of the four Boston-based strategists who joined Josh Kraft's mayoral campaign in its early days exited the operation earlier this month. Chanda Smart, the co-founder of OnyxGroup Development and Realty and Ann Chinchilla DeGeorge, who previously worked on former District Attorney Rachel Rollins' campaign and for City Councilor Julia Mejia, confirmed they are no longer working with Kraft's campaign as of earlier this month. Smart declined to comment further. Chinchilla DeGeorge said she wishes Kraft the best. Eileen O'Connor, a spokesperson for Kraft's campaign, said in a statement that the 'campaign decided to honor earlier agreements to pay them each through November 4, and wish them the best.' In a post on Facebook last week, Chinchilla DeGeorge wrote that Kraft is 'a great guy and a friend,' but added that she does 'not agree with his campaign leadership team's direction and strategy.' Kraft's campaign announced on Feb. 7 that Chinchilla DeGeorge and Smart would be joining the operation, shortly after Kraft officially launched his campaign. 'Assembling a diverse and talented team is going to be critical to the success of our campaign,' Kraft said in a statement at the time, after announcing that Chinchilla DeGeorge, Smart and two other longtime Boston political strategists — Jacquetta Van Zandt and Michael Kineavy, who are both still with the campaign — would be advising Kraft. 'I'm thrilled that Chanda, Jacquetta, Ann, and Michael have agreed to join the campaign,' Kraft said in the February announcement. 'We are assembling a team that have deep and meaningful connections in the communities throughout the city and are as good at listening as they are at talking.' GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. As members of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation are home in their districts for their summer recess, expect to hear a whole lot of criticism of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill — and probably a little about the Epstein files fracas that's dogged the White House for the past few weeks. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark laid out Democrats' plan of action for the next few weeks during an interview on WCVB's 'On the Record' that aired Sunday. 'Our focus is going to be on what this bill is going to do to the American people … and our view for the future,' Clark said. Expect to see Democrats holding town halls warning about changes to Medicaid and Social Security. Epstein, Clark said, won't be 'the focus of our days of action.' But 'it is part of the story of choosing to make the winner's circle in this country very small.' TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attend the 50th anniversary Cabo Verdean Independence Celebration at 11:30 a.m. and meet with Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano at 2 p.m. at the State House. Driscoll attends the groundbreaking of the Residences at East Milton at 9:30 a.m. in Milton. Rep. Richard Neal celebrates the 60th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing the Medicare and Medicaid Act into law at 11 a.m. in Wilbraham. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces grant funding that will be awarded to four community-led organizations at 10:30 a.m. in Dorchester. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL — Healey makes waves naming hospital lobbyist to HPC board by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: 'After several days of fielding criticism about the move behind the scenes, Gov. Maura Healey on Friday named the state's top hospital lobbyist to a position at the regulatory agency that oversees virtually all major health care decisions — including those directly affecting his clients — in Massachusetts. Healey appointed six people to the Health Policy Commission's board of directors, including Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association President Steve Walsh, punctuating a flood of hand-wringing from business leaders, health care advocates and other segments of the industry worried about a potential conflict of interest. The Healey administration defended the selection of Walsh, saying he fulfills a statutory requirement for a member of the HPC's board to come from a hospital background.' — Tarr seeks expanded background checks for child care workers by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'A group of Republican lawmakers are pushing for 'expanded' criminal background checks of people working for licensed daycare and early education providers, saying the Healey administration isn't doing enough to screen foreign workers. The legislation, filed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and four other GOP lawmakers, would require the state Department of Early Education and Care to expand background checks for job applicants who have lived outside of the United States in the previous five years, and gather 'to the maximum feasible extent' criminal record information from other countries.' FROM THE HUB — Fenway Park workers strike for third day amid contract dispute with Aramark by Maria Probert, The Boston Globe: 'As Boston Red Sox fans, wearing bright red ponchos and raincoats, crowded Fenway Park on Sunday for the third game in a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, chants from a nearby strike by Fenway concession workers could be heard from inside. … On the third day of the strike Sunday, some visitors obliged, stopping to buy and eat hot dogs outside, or eating lunch at a restaurant before heading to the game. But inside the park, it was business as usual as others opted to buy Fenway Franks at concession stands ran by replacement workers.' — South End neighborhood group calls for greater Mass and Cass policing, propose National Guard deployment by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: 'South End residents upped calls for a greater response to drug use stemming from the Mass and Cass area in a regular neighborhood group meeting, with proposing the deployment of the National Guard and decentralizing needle exchanges.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — Does mayoral candidate Rudy Alves live in Taunton? Elections head wants answers by Emma Rindlisbacher, The Taunton Daily Gazette: 'Rude 'Rudy' Alves is running for mayor in Taunton, and is registered to vote in Taunton at 68 Tremont St., according to information about candidates from the Taunton website. However, Taunton Elections Director Mark Pacheco raised questions at a Tuesday, July 23, 2025, elections commission meeting regarding whether Alves actually resides in Taunton. Pacheco said that on June 6, 2025, Alves had told elections department staff members: 'You guys know I never really lived in Taunton, right?' Pacheco said that he was not in the office when Alves made that comment, but that the comment had been heard by multiple staff members.' KENNEDY COMPOUND LAYING THE GROUNDWORK — The New York Times is out with a profile of former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who's been spending his time out of the spotlight building up grassroots resistance in places few Democrats dare venture (deep-red states) through the Groundwork Project, an organization he founded in 2021. In addition to unpacking his organizing efforts in states like Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and West Virginia, Kennedy reflected on his past: 'Losing sucks,' he told The Times. 'But I made the decision to try to build something that keeps you engaged and energized.' And he ruminated on his political future: 'The question is, is what I would get out of going back into elective office worth the sacrifice that I asked my family to go through again?' Kennedy told The Times. 'I'm 44. … And at some point down the road, I wouldn't necessarily rule anything out.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Ed Markey, Ayanna Pressley renew push for fare-free MBTA, public transit by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley refiled legislation that seeks to make public transportation fare-free for all users. … First introduced in 2020, the Freedom to Move Act would seek to make public transportation, including the MBTA, free by establishing a $5 billion competitive grant program to support state and local fare-free efforts, investing in infrastructure and safety improvements, particularly in low-income communities, and ensuring grant recipients use funds to address equity gaps in transit systems.' FROM THE 413 — A personnel action rocks a Springfield councilor … and possibly her reelection bid by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: 'The political ecosystem in Ward 1 in Springfield received a jolt Saturday when the ward's incumbent city councilor lost her job amid serious, yet cryptic allegations. In a late afternoon press release, the New North Citizens Council (NNCC) announced it had terminated its housing chief, Maria Perez. Perez has served as the Ward 1 City Councilor since 2022. The brusque, shocking release all but accuses Perez of misappropriating NNCC funds, including those it received from the federal government by way of City Hall. More concretely, it alleges Perez had misused the nonprofit's funds for 'political purposes.' The release indicates it came to its conclusions after an internal review and had filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission.' WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — Will 4th ex-cop implicated in Sandra Birchmore case be decertified? Why he might not be by Amelia Stern, The Brockton Enterprise: 'An attorney representing Joshua Heal — an ex-cop accused of having a sexual encounter with Sandra Birchmore when he was the animal control officer in Stoughton and lying about it — said at a Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission hearing that his client has no interest in working again as a police officer. … The Commission, an agency responsible for certifying officers in the state, will determine through its proceedings if Heal should be allowed to voluntarily let his certification expire or if he should be decertified.' — Absenteeism rates are 50 percent higher than they were pre-pandemic. Here are six ideas to get kids back in class. by Christopher Huffaker, The Boston Globe: 'Chronic absenteeism — missing 10 percent or more of school — surged to unheard-of levels in Massachusetts and across the country amid the pandemic. Despite educators' efforts to get kids back in class, absenteeism rates remain 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic, elevated in districts large and small, rich and poor.' — What happens when a Yankee progressive and Southern conservative team up? More housing, they hope. by John L. Micek, MassLive. — Gateway City leaders prepare for federal cuts, changes to Medicaid by Hallie Claflin, CommonWealth Beacon. — Last year a tax credit helped build 23 workforce rental homes on Nantucket. It's back. by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 2026 WATCH — Out-of-state politicians swinging through New Hampshire have already sparked some 2028 chatter, but Republican Rep. Nancy Mace indicated Friday she has her sights set on 2026. At the New England Council's 'Politics and Eggs' event Friday, Mace nodded to New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status, while hinting that she could announce a bid for governor in South Carolina. 'Not only do you pick presidents, maybe you can pick the next South Carolina governor today, because we're going to be announcing our run very shortly, potentially, for that as well,' she said during the event in Manchester. The official decision could be coming soon: Mace told Fox News over the weekend that a decision could come in the next couple of days. SPEAKING OF 2028 — Sen. Ruben Gallego is heading to New Hampshire next month, WMUR first reported this morning. The Arizona Democrat has already traveled to Pennsylvania and is stopping in Iowa (another early voting state) next month. Gallego is slated to join a town hall with Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), a fundraiser for New Hampshire Democratic Senate hopeful Rep. Chris Pappas and will take part in his own 'Politics & Eggs' event, per WMUR. HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH NATIONAL STAGE — Gov. Maura Healey was elected to the National Governors Association's executive committee over the weekend, along with Govs. Jared Polis of Colorado, Josh Green of Hawaii, Mike Braun of Indiana, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, and Bill Lee of Tennessee. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Beata Coloyan, Ayla Brown and to Northampton City Councilor Stanley Moulton.
