STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FORMER TREASURER TIM CAHILL, 54, will not face a second criminal trial for his alleged conspiracy to use the Massachusetts State Lottery as a marketing arm of his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, agreeing instead to pay a $100,000 civil fine and to be put under “pretrial” probation. “The fact that there will […]
Andy Metzger
Andy Metzger is currently studying law at Temple University in Philadelphia. Previously, he joined CommonWealth Magazine as a reporter in January 2019. He has covered news in Massachusetts since 2007. For more than six years starting in May 2012 he wrote about state politics and government for the State House News Service. At the News Service, he followed three criminal trials from opening statements to verdicts, tracked bills through the flumes and eddies of the Legislature, and sounded out the governor’s point of view on a host of issues – from the proposed Olympics bid to federal politics.
Before that, Metzger worked at the Chelmsford Independent, The Arlington Advocate, the Somerville Journal and the Cambridge Chronicle, weekly community newspapers that cover an array of local topics. Metzger graduated from UMass Boston in 2006. In addition to his written journalism, Metzger produced a work of illustrated journalism about Gov. Charlie Baker’s record regarding the MBTA. He lives in Somerville and commutes mainly by bicycle.
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
House eyeing riders to raise revenue
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE While Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed bankrolling his $1 billion transportation plan with an income tax hike that is central to his $34.8 billion budget plan, the House might take a different approach and seek to raise funds from users of the transportation system. “The financing method for transportation works best […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Ireland says judges deserve pay raise
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE EMERGING FROM A four-year hiring freeze that started to thaw last fall, top officials in the judiciary warned legislators Wednesday that without more funding, the rule of law itself is at risk. “I know that you’re accustomed to hearing everyone come through and say, ‘We need more money.’ Well, we need […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
McLaughlin pleads guilty to falsifying records
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AFTER YEARS OF MISLEADING federal authorities about his compensation as executive director of the Chelsea Housing Authority, Michael McLaughlin pled guilty Tuesday to four counts of falsifying records to a federal agency. McLaughlin’s plea agreement avoids a trial and raises questions about the extent of his cooperation with state or federal […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Convention center picks hotel operator
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE STARWOOD HOTELS has beat out Hyatt in the bidding for a two-hotel development across the street from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, giving the BCEC access to hotel rooms for convention guests. The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority board voted unanimously Thursday morning to authorize Executive Director Jim Rooney to enter […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Lobbyists win challenge to Galvin requirement
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ASSERTING THAT PART of Secretary of State William Galvin’s arguments made “absolutely no sense,” a Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of lobbyists who went to court to challenge Galvin’s interpretation of a requirement that they disclose “direct business associations” with public officials. Beginning last July, Galvin’s office started interpreting […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Coakley sues Lantigua for late campaign report
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY sued Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua on Wednesday in an attempt to force him to file a campaign finance report that is nearly a year overdue and to pay $5,000 in late fines out of his own pocket. “There’s a simple reason why candidates and elected officials are […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Hung jury leads to Cahill mistrial
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AFTER ACQUITTING HIS co-defendant, a 12-person jury was unable over the past week to reach a unanimous verdict on former Treasurer Tim Cahill’s public corruption charges, leading to a hung jury and mistrial. Attorney General Martha Coakley secured a grand jury indictment against the 54-year-old former treasurer last April, accusing him […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
State pension fund braces for fiscal cliff
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE As disruptive federal tax hikes and spending cuts loom on the calendar, managers of the state pension fund say they are continuing with the strategy of moving into lower risk investments without sacrificing investment returns. The Pensions Reserves Investment Trust was pounded by the 2008 market crash, losing 29.5 percent of […]
Posted inEducation, State House News Service
MCAS scores trending up
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Students’ standardized test scores are trending upward and the persistent achievement gap between certain demographic groups is closing, according to the Massachusetts Department of Early and Secondary Education. “I would like to start by saying we’re making pretty good progress,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester. He also said, […]