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Axios Boston
Healey admin's AI blueprint starts to take shape
The future of scallop farming could be an AI-powered robot wielding metal chopsticks.Northeastern University researchers showed Gov. Maura Healey the prototype Thursday, one of several proposals pitched to her team.Why it matters: The Healey administration's vision for how AI can fix major problems in Massachusetts is taking shape, from AI-driven scallop sorting to less-invasive tools to detect cancer beneath the skin.Catch up fast: The state's AI Task Force has met throughout the spring and summer to pinpoint what improvements AI can make in various industries and government work.The state has also paired up with Northeastern's Institute for Experiential Robotics, whose...
Measles hits Massachusetts for first time in years
Measles has reappeared in Massachusetts for the first time in four years. Why it matters: The deadly respiratory infection has been surging around the world and international efforts to vaccinate every child against the disease have stalled out since the pandemic. The latest: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said...
"Ghost gun" crackdown in Mass. Dems' sights
Firearms constructed from parts that lack serial numbers would be outlawed in Massachusetts under a new gun reform proposal likely to become law in the coming weeks.Why it matters: The bill strengthens Massachusetts' already tight gun laws, gives law enforcement more latitude to seize weapons and revamps the licensing process.What's happening: The conference committee tasked with drawing up a compromise between the House and Senate filed a final new bill Wednesday that will likely easily pass the Legislature and become law.Between the lines: Democrats in the two chambers were miles apart when the issue first gained traction on Beacon Hill,...
Declining to euthanize dog not a crime, SJC rules
The state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled a woman who took her ailing dog home instead of euthanizing him did not commit a crime. Why it matters: The case could affect anyone in Massachusetts who is torn between following medical advice and giving their pet a natural death at home with loved ones.
Massachusetts RNC delegates pumped to see Trump-Vance ticket
In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, Massachusetts delegation members at the Republican National Convention say they feel safe, unified and excited to nominate Trump Thursday in Milwaukee.Why it matters: The Bay Staters are excited to hear from Trump and see if the rhetoric of his speech and campaign will have changed since the shooting.State of play: Delegates expressed excitement to be introduced to vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, who Trump announced as his running mate Monday afternoon.There was also a lot of interest in Trump's acceptance speech and how his tone may change since...
New England states have among high share of boomers still working
Data: BLS; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosNew England states have some of the highest share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce, according to preliminary 2023 census data.Why it matters: The 2024 presidential campaign is sparking a fresh conversation about age, ability and mental acuity.The big picture: It's not uncommon these days for older Americans to stay in the workforce, particularly in states with older populations.Nationally, almost 19% of adults 65 or over are still working.Zoom in: 22.2% of adults 65 or over in Massachusetts are employed, per the U.S. Census Bureau.Vermont had the highest share of working adults 65 and over in the nation (25.6%).Connecticut reported 22.4%.Between the lines: Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours, and more likely to be receiving employer benefits, compared to past decades, per the Pew Research Center.Changes to Social Security and retirement plans — especially in a high-cost state like Massachusetts — factor into how much time people stay in the workforce.
Meet "The Mole" season 2 winner: Boston native Michael O'Brien
Boston native Michael O'Brien won the second season of Netflix's "The Mole," taking home the $154,000 prize pot after the season finale revealed Sean Patrick Bryan as the mole.What he's saying: O'Brien told Axios that the most rewarding part of being on the show was representing the gay community. "I wanted to represent the gay community and being a bigger gay male, you don't always see that," O'Brien said."The amount of DM's I've gotten from people who are in the closet or still questioning their sexuality and being able to see me on TV ... and telling me that they want to come out because of me — that, by far, is the most rewarding thing I've gotten from [the show]."Fun fact: O'Brien says the most Boston thing he does is getting a Dunkin' iced coffee before work every morning.What's next: O'Brien plans to use the prize money to invest in his future, travel with his widowed father — whom he mentions on the show — and give back to the LGBTQ+ community while pursuing other TV opportunities.Go deeper: Need a break from the news? Reality TV shows to stream
Social Calendar: 7/5-7/21
Here are some fun events happening this week.Monday, 7/15🍲 TikTok chef Jon Kung will discuss his new cookbook, "Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen," at WBUR CitySpace, 6:30pm-7:30pm.Wednesday, 7/17🎶 Landmarks Orchestra hosts a block party at the Hatch Memorial Shell with free snacks and face painting, 5:30pm-8:30pm.👟 The African Meeting House hosts a tour on Boston's role in the underground railroad, 5:30pm-6:30pm.It's a mixed bag of genre acts at the Totally Tubular Festival: Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey, Modern English, Men Without Hats, Wang Chung and Bow Wow Wow are all featured.Zach Bryan is at Gillette Stadium for...
Shakespeare's "Winter's Tale" comes to the Common
Shakespeare on the Common is back for its 27th season starting next week with free performances of "The Winter's Tale," the Bard's rollercoaster ride through jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness.Why it matters: Seeing a professional production of a Shakespearean play is a summer staple and a cherished tradition for Bostonians.The play opens Tuesday, July 16 and runs each day except Mondays through Aug. 4.Performances begin at 8pm and there's a special 6pm showing Aug. 3.Like always, the stage is built near the Parkman Bandstand and seating is BYOB: bring your own blanket. Or folding chair.You can rent a chair for $10.Food...
Beacon Hill crunch time: what we're watching
Massachusetts politics is rarely about Democrats vs. Republicans or even moderates vs. conservatives. It's usually about the House vs. the Senate and July is their Super Bowl.Here are the top pieces of legislation due to be finalized by the two chambers before lawmakers recess until next year.Economic developmentThe House and Senate have competing visions for how the state should spend money to attract jobs, build up industries and develop a stronger workforce.Why it matters: The House pitch, totaling around $3.4 billion in borrowing and $700 million in tax credits meant to boost the economy, would give the Healey administration a...
Karen Read's double jeopardy claims
Karen Read's lawyers say a fourth juror from last month's blockbuster trial claims the jury found Read not guilty of the most serious charges she faces.Why it matters: The growing tally adds to mounting claims that Read could be protected from a retrial on those charges because of double jeopardy.Catch up quick: At her trial, Read faced charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident after allegedly hitting her police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, with her car in January 2022.The June trial ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked.The latest: Read's attorneys claim four separate...
Mass. lawmakers mull receivership for cannabis agency
After years of dysfunction, the state's cannabis agency is at risk of heading into receivership, at least if Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro gets his way.Why it matters: The Cannabis Control Commission has been plagued by infighting, scandals, high turnover and yearslong delays of policy changes.Shapiro made his case for an overhaul to lawmakers in a hearing Tuesday.Officials say this would be the first time a state agency entered receivership.Catch up fast: Shapiro sent a letter to lawmakers last month requesting they approve a measure placing the CCC into receivership and rebuilding it.At the root of the CCC's problems, he says,...
DoorDash cracks down on account sharing, traffic law violations
DoorDash on Tuesday announced new steps to rein in account sharing and traffic law violations among its drivers in Boston and other U.S. cities.Why it matters: The food delivery company's steps could address city officials' concerns about contracted drivers on scooters and motorcycles breaking traffic laws while making deliveries.Catch up quick: Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge wrote in a letter to DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber last month that the city has seen delivery drivers on mopeds and motorized scooters break traffic laws.Those violations include driving on city sidewalks, going the wrong way on one-way streets,...
Greater Boston expecting thunderstorms, winds and stifling heat this week
What's left of Hurricane Beryl will bring rain and thunderstorms to Massachusetts this week with little relief from the heat.Why it matters: The storms could dump a couple of inches of rain across Massachusetts, depending on how Beryl moves up the U.S.Catch up fast: Beryl made landfall yesterday morning in Texas, battering the state with high winds and floods.The flood threat is predicted to stretch as far inland as Missouri and the Ohio Valley as the storm heads northward.Zoom in: Boston will experience stifling heat and humidity today. It's going to feel like 100 degrees in parts of the state,...
Boston-area home prices creep up again
Data: Redfin; Chart: Axios VisualsHome prices continue to rise in the Boston metro area.State of play: Redfin captured the increase of home prices from January 2019, when the median price was $474,900, through this past May, when the median price reached $735,000.Zoom in: The prices around Greater Boston are even higher.The median sales price for a single-family home reached $950,500, a record-high for the month of May, according to a report from the Greater Boston Association of Realtors.In May 2023, it was $900,000.The median sales price of condos was $715,000, a 1.2% drop from May 2023.The priciest homes appeared in Central Middlesex County and Metro Boston, per GBAR's report.Yes, but: The price increases haven't deterred homebuyers from closing on a house.More than 1,000 single-family homes sold in May, more than 9% up from May 2023 and up 6.5% year-to-date.Condo sales, however, declined 1.1% from May 2023 and 3.8% year-to-date.
In Massachusetts, out-of-state abortions are few, but growing
Data: Guttmacher Institute; Note: Includes procedural and medication abortions provided at brick-and-mortar health facilities as well as medication abortions via telehealth and virtual providers; Map: Axios VisualsTens of thousands of patients traveled out-of-state for abortions last year, with just a few heading to Massachusetts, new data estimates from the Guttmacher Institute show.The big picture: The Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade, has driven patients to states without total abortion bans, such as Illinois, North Carolina, New Mexico and Massachusetts.But the Bay State, which allows abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy with certain exceptions, has seen...
Things to do around Boston this week: 7/8-7/14
Here are the big things happening this week. Monday 7/8📖 Playwright Kevin Barry discusses his new novel, "The Heart in Winter" at Harvard Book Store, 7pm. 🎨 The New Impressions Print Studio in Somerville hosts an introduction to silkscreen workshop, 6:30pm-9:30pm.Price: $175Tuesday 7/9🎤 Alanis Morissette comes to the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on her Triple moon tour.🐕🦺 Dorchester Brewing Co. hosts "Yappy Hour" with Red Dog Pet Resort, 6pm-9pm.Wednesday 7/10📖 Historian James Polchin discusses his latest book, "Shadow Men: The Tangled Story of Murder, Media, and Privilege That Scandalized Jazz Age America" at East End Books, 6pm.Thursday 7/11🎺 Catch the...
The third party third rail in Massachusetts
For years, right-of-center Massachusetts voters who despise Donald Trump and left-leaners who aren't thrilled with Joe Biden's Democrats have found themselves without a political home.Why it matters: Former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey is taking on the almost impossible task of providing a third way for politics in the Bay State and building a new party for the disenfranchised.Zoom in: She wants the Forward Party, the coalition founded by 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang, to gain enough of a foothold here to change how local politics works.To do it, she's looking to court the 64% of Mass. voters who don't...
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