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Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What the scrap over Mass. Gov. Healey's Sunday show quips explain about our politics
If you're the sort of person who watches the Sunday political chat shows, then you might have caught Gov. Maura Healey engaging in a time-honored rite of campaign season last weekend: Burnishing her record as she seeks a second term. And if you're not the sort of person who watches Sunday political chat shows because, say, you were at church or busy packing the car for the beach, then here's a quick object lesson on the perils and pitfalls of being an incumbent with a record. It starts with an extended consideration of what Healey said when WBZ-TV's Jon Keller teed her up with a question last Sunday about the administration of former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker. Important context: Healey has been generally deferential to her predecessor. But Mike Kenneally and Brian Shortsleeve, who are now vying for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial nomination, are former Baker aides. Healey did what most practiced pols do when they're confronted with that kind of question: She flipped the script and turned it into an opportunity to talk about herself. The premise is that the last thing you want to do is give the competition free airtime. Here's the full quote: 'I think what is important to the voters, for reelection, is what I've done,' she said. '[We] cut taxes — hadn't been done in 20 years. We're building more homes that should have been built before. We're building them out now at a scale because we've got a lower cost. [We're] fixing transportation for the first time, not even in recent memory.' She continued: 'The T is running on time. No slow zones. We're going to continue to make investments. And we've made sure that Massachusetts is No. 1 in education. We're back atop the ratings this year, and I'm really pleased about that. There are challenges, driving down costs, particularly around housing and energy, [those are] top on my list. But I'm running for reelection, Jon, because I love Massachusetts.' And now, why it matters: You had to be paying attention, but Healey's comments were a barely veiled swipe at her two Republican rivals. Keneally served as Baker's housing and economic development secretary, which means he was the guy who was supposed to fix the state's housing affordability and supply problem. Shortsleeve was tasked with running the MBTA, and somehow wrestling an aging system, whose repair costs ran to the hundreds of millions of dollars, back into shape. While progress has been made on the latter, it's pretty safe to say we're a long way from done on the former. So it will not shock you to learn that Healey's remarks landed with a thud among Republicans. By Monday afternoon, the state Republican Party had blasted out a lengthy fact-check — and a condemnation — of Healey's comments. 'Misrepresenting a broken record comes naturally to the Healey administration, that has nothing to run on heading into a reelection year,' state GOP Chairperson Amy Carnevale said. 'Voters are living in an opposite reality from the one Governor Healey spoke about Sunday, and they are too smart to believe that she's done anything to make their lives materially better since taking office,' Carnevale continued. Republicans took specific issue with the Democratic governor's assertion that she was the 'first to come in and reform' the state's hugely expensive emergency shelter system. 'We've driven the numbers in shelter way down, we're driving the cost way down,' Healey told Keller. 'I'm actually the first to come in and reform that system, which needed reform.' Healey has made some progress when it comes to reducing the number of people in state-run shelters. And most hotel shelters closed last month because there were fewer people in the system. But the state still had spent nearly $830 million on the system through the end of June, with costs set to exceed $1 billion by the end of the 2024-25 budget year (which closed on June 30), MassLive previously reported. Republicans pointed to similar progress that Baker had made in reducing the number of people in hotel shelters in 2017 and his efforts to keep people in their homes. That was before the state was rocked by a flood of migrant new arrivals, which filled the system to overflowing in 2023. Similarly, Kennealy and Shortsleeve each will have to explain their role in helping to fix — or not — two of the state's biggest public policy challenges: housing and mass transportation. That conversation will shape the campaign to come. And in separate interviews, both have tipped their hands on how they intend to address it. Kennealy, through a spokesperson, defended his record on housing this week, arguing that new housing starts had increased on his watch and declined under Healey. Speaking to MassLive in May, Kennealy offered further details. 'We got passed the single most important zoning reform in 50 years in Massachusetts. And that's called housing choice. And it took us three years to get it done,' he said. 'And we looked at local zoning as an impediment to housing production, and it was our view that we're in a housing crisis in Massachusetts,' he continued. 'We have to produce a lot more housing. But you've got to do it in partnership with cities and towns. You cannot mandate to them what to do. You've got to work with them.' Shortsleeve similarly defended his stewardship of the MBTA, telling State House News Service in a June interview that 'we took out waste and abuse.' 'We streamlined parts of the organization, we rebid contracts, and when we were done, we had the lowest operating expenses in the history of the T,' he continued. 'That shows you what's possible in terms of reforming government when you bring a businessman sort of mindset, an outsider perspective, and a Marine's determination to the job.' He went further, arguing that Healey 'has never delivered a balanced budget for the T. Today, the T takes a billion dollars more to run than it did six years ago, and the T's costs in almost every area have grown rapidly. What I've seen in the fast past few years is unrestrained cost growth.' The $60.9 billion budget that Healey signed into law last week provides $470 million in direct support for the MBTA, as well as funding for reduced-price fares for those who qualify for them. That is some not-insignificant cash. Still, it's important to pause here to note that there are still some 18 months to go before Election Day 2026. In our hyper-accelerated timeline, that's several political lifetimes away. But if campaigns and elections are about anything, they're about candidates taking control of their narratives and defining themselves before their opponents have a chance to do it for them. Don't believe it? Consider that all it takes is one misguided photo of a guy in a tank to help crater a White House campaign. Narratives and records matter. And voters, who might need some occasional prodding, do remember it. These are the Big 3 issues to watch in Boston's mayoral race — and one sleeper Mass. Senate set to make its first move against Trump in 2025 | Bay State Briefing How Beacon Hill bosses quietly buried reform bills that threatened their power Read the original article on MassLive.
CBS News
01-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Weather forecast maps for Boston area show storms could bring downpours today
The WBZ weather team is declaring a NEXT Weather Alert for the Boston area today. We don't expect a major severe weather day but, there will likely be some scattered downpours later in Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon and evening. The Storms Prediction Center has placed all of southern New England in a "marginal" risk for severe weather today. This is the lowest category (1 of 5) that the center issues. WBZ-TV graphic CBS Boston In addition, the center issued a 5% risk for damaging winds within any thunderstorms that form today. Boston weather today There could be a few widely scattered downpours as early as 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. this afternoon. WBZ-TV graphic CBS Boston The greatest risk comes between 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. this evening. This is when many models show a cluster of storms moving from west to east across the state. The main concern would be for some locally heavy downpours along with some occasional lightning. There is a smaller chance of some isolated wind damage or hail. Again, we do not anticipate a major severe weather outbreak today. We would urge you to stay tuned to the latest forecast and keep an eye to the sky if you have any outdoor plans this evening. Massachusetts Weather Radar July 4th forecast Looking ahead a few days to the 4th of July: For the most part, it is a near perfect weather forecast. The humidity from the next few days will be gone, leaving a very comfortable airmass in its place. The day will start with wall-to-wall sunshine and temperatures in the 70s by late morning and noon. The air well above our heads will be a bit unstable on Friday so, there will likely be some clouds popping up during the afternoon. There is a very slight risk of an isolated, pop-up shower at some point in the afternoon or evening. This is not something to necessarily focus on as the chance is very low. WBZ-TV graphic CBS Boston Highs will rise into the low 80s during the afternoon. For fireworks displays at night, the skies will be mainly clear, and temperatures will fall back into the upper 60s and low 70s.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- Science
- CBS News
How long will the cicadas be around? Map shows Brood XIV sightings on Cape Cod.
The cicadas are out in full force in one particular part of Massachusetts. The periodical insects known as Brood XIV are emerging on Cape Cod after 17 years underground. Jennifer Forman Orth, the environmental biologist for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, is tracking and mapping cicada sightings. "The emergence is mostly concentrated on the Upper Cape, so the towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich, and the western part of Barnstable," Orth told WBZ-TV. "There was also a sighting up in Cohasset - people thought maybe the cicada hitchhiked on someone's vehicle, but there are records there from the last Brood XIV emergence in the early 2000s." A map of cicada sightings iNaturalist The cicada noise Orth just returned from a trip to Cape Cod to see the cicadas for herself. She reports that there were "thousands upon thousands" in the Frances Crane Wildlife Management Area in East Falmouth. "We saw many of them emerging as fresh adults in Sandwich. And in Falmouth, where they had emerged a bit earlier in June, the adults were gathered in high numbers in many areas," Orth said. Male cicadas are known for being very noisy when they emerge, using special organs to make sounds as loud as a lawnmower. "Their calling was audible throughout Sandwich and Falmouth, it sounds artificial, almost like an alarm of some kind is going off in the distance," Orth said. A cicada spotted on Cape Cod. Jennifer Forman Orth When will the cicadas go away? Those living near the noisy insects want to know one thing: When will the cicadas go away? Cicada expert John Cooley, a professor at the University of Connecticut, said cicadas started coming out in late May and early June. They only have a few weeks to "get adult things done," he explained, like mate and lay eggs before they die. Cooley said that once cicadas are out in force, they'll be around for about three to four weeks, depending on the weather. That means most should be gone by early July. Report cicada sightings The public is encouraged to submit reports and pictures via the iNaturalist website. Carrie Seltzer, the head of engagement at iNaturlist, says "community science" can help monitor the cicada emergence in real-time across the region. "Since this phenomenon only happens once every 17 years, each observation on iNaturalist is an important record for science to understand where they are found now, since it may change in 17 years," she said. "Anyone can take a photo of a cicada and post it to iNaturalist to contribute to science." A group of cicadas in Falmouth. Jennifer Forman Orth Orth said everyone has a smartphone now - something that wasn't the case during the last Cape Cod emergence in 2008 - and it's a perfect opportunity to collect data on the unique creatures. "Technology affords us the chance to help scientists better understand periodical cicadas," she said. "The observations people make could help scientists understand things like how land use changes impact these insects, how cicada emergence impacts birds and other wildlife, and how their life cycle impacts tree growth."
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former University of Colorado Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter gets married
Patriots OTA takeaways: Mike Vrabel's vibes and Drake Maye's relationship with Josh McDaniels Steve Burton welcomes ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss onto WBZ-TV's Sports Final to get his takeaways from last week's OTA sessions in Foxboro. Reiss chats about Mike Vrabel's incredible vibe and energy, and also highlights some big players on defense. He also discusses Drake Maye's rough Tuesday and why it's not a concern, and the QB's relationship with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. 6:46 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Viral video of 20-foot shark in Rhode Island invites "Jaws" comparisons
Video of a huge shark swimming around Rhode Island's Block Island on Memorial Day is going viral. The video taken by Jen Seebeck and posted on the Atlantic Shark Institute's social media pages has already been viewed more than 4 million times on Instagram and Facebook. "Clearly a very large shark and reminiscent of a scene from Jaws on this 50th anniversary of the film," the organization said. Basking shark sighting in Rhode Island Unlike the titular creature in "Jaws," this shark is no bloodthirsty great white. Atlantic Shark Institute executive director Jon Dodd says this is a basking shark that appears to be about 20 feet long with a large dorsal fin. Basking sharks are the second-largest fish species after the whale shark, according to the New England Aquarium, and they eat plankton. "They are harmless filter-feeders but that wouldn't matter much if you were in the water when one came cruising by!" Dodd tells WBZ-TV. The two species are often mistaken for one another, but the dorsal fin of the basking shark is more rounded while a great white has a pointed fin. The sighting in Great Salt Pond had diners at Dead Eye Dick's buzzing. "There's a shark in the pond!" one person with a distinctive New England accent can be heard saying Dodd says it appears the shark likely entered the pond by accident and has since left the area. "It is the first shark that has entered the pond this season, but likely not the last!" Dodd said.
