A breakthrough program developed at the Boston VA medical center is helping heal the psychological and physical wounds of war. It tailors treatments to veterans struggling to adjust to civilian life by treating all the health issues at the same time i…
Massachusetts
WATCH: Healey giving update as Mass. prepares for major snow storm Tuesday
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is holding a news conference on how the state is preparing for nor’easter expected to drop up to a foot of snow Tuesday.
Speaking along with Healey at the state’s Highway Operations Center in Boston will be MEMA Director Dawn Brantley, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng and Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.
Earlier Monday, Healey directed all staff who aren’t essential employees to work from home on Tuesday, given the unsafe driving conditions.
Massachusetts is expecting upwards of a foot of snow in some areas, including Boston. Strong winds are expected along the coastline, near-blizzard conditions on the South Shore and the potential for power outages.
Schools districts, including Boston’s, declared snow days for Tuesday. And the City of Boston declared a snow emergency as well.
“The best projections right now estimate that we will likely get between 8 and 12 inches of snow total,” Mayor Michelle Wu said. “That it’ll come down pretty heavily during the morning commute, starting earlier in the morning and potentially continuing all the way through the afternoon tomorrow. That means that we are making the call today that Boston Public Schools will be closed tomorrow.”
Residents in Scituate were gearing up Monday for the pending snow and high winds. Beach erosion and flooding will be a problem this time around.
Nearly a foot of snow and up to 60 mile an hour winds are expected with the storm system. In the past, that wind speed has led to downed power lines and tree debris for neighbors, affecting commutes and forcing people to stay home.
It’s an all-out effort to brace for inclement weather but residents say that in this coastal town, they’re used to it.
“And yeah, you get some storms five days a year, but you prepare for it and you go on with your life,” said George Simmons, Scituate resident.
This news story will be updated from Gov. Healey’s news conference.
Low-income riders could pay reduced T fares this summer
Low-income MBTA riders could benefit from discounted fares, slashed roughly in half from regular prices, by this summer, officials said Monday, pending a vote in late March by the MBTA Board of Directors.
The agency is currently seeking public comment on its proposed plan to offer discounted fares to riders ages 26 through 64 who earn 200% or less of the federal poverty level. The public comment period runs through Feb. 29, and the MBTA board is slated to vote on the low-income fares proposal at its March 28 meeting.
“This has been an effort several years in the making, and under the Healey-Driscoll administration, we are excited to be closer than ever to making this program a reality,” Michael Cole, deputy commissioner for policy and programs at the Department of Transitional Assistance, said during a Monday morning news conference at the State Transportation Building.
“Affordable public transportation is crucial for people with low incomes, providing essential access to employment, education, health care and other services,” Cole continued. “It has the ability to enable equity through mobility and social inclusion, can reduce isolation, and promote community engagement.”
The initiative would cost around $52-62 million, based on administrative and operating costs and fare revenue loss, according to information provided by agency officials. In her fiscal 2025 budget, Gov. Maura Healey proposed allocating $45 million for the program.
MBTA officials predict tens of thousands of riders will enroll in the program, which is also expected to boost ridership among low-income passengers. Cutting fares in half could translate into $720 in annual savings for daily bus and subway riders, and $1,908 for certain commuter rail riders, MBTA officials have said.
17-year-old boy shot to death in Worcester, police say
A 17-year-old boy was shot to death in Worcester, Massachusetts, early Monday morning, according to police.
Officers responded to the area of Shannon Street at about 3:16 a.m. for a ShotSpotter activation, Worcester police said. When they arrived,…
New Thai restaurant opening in Cambridge’s Porter Square
[This story first appeared on Boston Restaurant Talk.]
A new Thai restaurant is on its way to Cambridge, moving into a space that had been home to another Thai spot.
According to an article from Boston Magazine as well as a recent chec…
Boston, Salem among Mass. schools closing for snow day Tuesday
Boston Public Schools will be closed Tuesday, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Monday, a day ahead of an anticipated direct hit from a nor’easter for much of Massachusetts.
Salem Public Schools also announced a snow day for Tuesday. More snow days are likely to be announced as the storm approaches.
See the full list of school closings here — the list will update as more schools enter days off.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
