“WELL, I’M SCARED to drive to the appointment,” my patient Henry finally admitted over the phone. I heard him catch his breath and hold it. He hadn’t been in for a medical checkup in years. He had been pushed out of Chelsea when his rent was raised, and now lives a 45-minute drive from the […]
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Boston teachers contract lays groundwork for success
RECENTLY, MEMBERS of the Boston Teachers Union reached an important milestone on the path toward building the schools our students and communities deserve. Together, we overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year agreement with Boston Public Schools that represents significant progress for students and families, educators, democratically elected local leaders, local administrators, and community allies — all […]
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Filling in the blanks on Martha’s Vineyard migrant tale
UNLIKE MOST INTRIGUE-FILLED capers, this one came with the ultimate question that’s usually answered at the end of the story – whodunit? – already settled. When two plane loads of Venezuelan migrants from Texas landed last month on Martha’s Vineyard, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis quickly took credit. “Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with […]
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3 Democrats make the case for being Maura Healey’s No. 2
JIM BRAUDE BEGAN Tuesday evening’s GBH debate among the three Democrats running for lieutenant governor by asking a standard opening question to candidates: Why are you running for this office? But in the case of the state’s lieutenant governor, what he really meant was, why in the world are you running for this office? It […]
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Baker signs abortion executive order
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Friday signed an executive order protecting Massachusetts abortion providers from prosecution by other states that have made providing an abortion a criminal act. The order prohibits executive agencies from assisting another state’s investigation into anyone receiving or providing an abortion. It also bars abortion providers from losing their license or being […]
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Omnibus DCF bill still in the works
WITH LESS THAN two months left to the legislative session, the House’s lead lawmaker on child welfare policy is continuing work on an omnibus bill that he says would make the Office of the Child Advocate more independent, improve educational oversight at the Department of Children and Families, and establish rights for foster parents. State […]
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Budget amendment would create Harmony Montgomery Commission
A WEEK AFTER Â the state Office of the Child Advocate issued a report about the failure of the child welfare system to protect missing 4-year-old Harmony Montgomery, a state senator is hoping to use the state budget to begin making changes. Sen. Michael Moore, a Millbury Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Post Audit […]
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I assume my patients have been sexually assaulted
I AM A FORMER captain in the US Air Force, where I worked as both a research physicist and as an advocate for sexual assault victims in the military. Today, I am a nurse practitioner in a women’s health care practice caring for women of all ages. My experience in the military and my work today […]
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Senate passes license bill with veto-proof majority
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A LONG-DEBATED PROPOSAL to expand driver’s license access to undocumented immigrants took a major step toward becoming law on Thursday, clearing the Senate with a strong enough margin to overcome the prospect of Gov. Charlie Baker’s formal opposition. Senators voted 32-8 in favor of the controversial reform, which has drawn skepticism […]
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CommonWealth wins six awards from New England newspaper association
COMMONWEALTH WON SIX AWARDS, including four first-place designations, from the New England Newspaper & Press Association in its Better Newspaper Competition. The awards were for articles written between August 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. The awards were announced over the weekend at the association’s annual convention in Boston. CommonWealth competed in the category of […]