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No, to face mask mandates.
Yes, to more rapid testing.
That was the message from Gov. Charlie Baker yesterday who said he has no plans to reinstate Massachusetts’ statewide mask mandate, even as some experts told the Globe that “not doing so leaves us continuing to fight this war with one arm tied behind our backs.”
Instead Baker outlined plans to distribute 2.1 million free rapid COVID tests to 102 cities and towns across the state starting today. The state is also negotiating “bulk cheap purchasing deals” on rapid tests for all our cities and towns.
“Like vaccines, these rapid at-home tests are potentially a game-changer as we continue to battle COVID here in the Commonwealth,” Baker said.
Of our four Charles River Chamber communities only Newton currently has an indoor mask mandate.
And he says yes to worker bonus, no to commission
Also yesterday, Baker signed that $4 billion legislation allocating ARPA and surplus tax revenues for a wide variety of programs: The bill includes funds for health care ($964 million), housing ($624 million), infrastructure ($414 million), education ($389 million), economic development ($267 million) and unemployment insurance, according to State House News.
But he used his line item veto in a few places, most notably the section creating a 28-member commission to set rules for that one-time $500 million essential workers bonus program
The $500 mil is still there, just not a commission that would be even larger than our too-large Newton City Council. Rather, Baker wants his administration to establish the program.
A new act for the New Rep Theater
Watertown’s New Repertory Theater is looking to stage a comeback in 2022.
“Over the last several months, New Rep’s Board has had numerous conversations with local artists, members of the BIPOC community, arts advocates, advisors, and supporters,” the company announced in a statement on its website.
The company is “also exploring the possibility of staging productions in novel locations appropriate for specific artistic projects.”
Eggs on the shelves, or on lawmakers' face?
Lawmakers have yet to hatch legislation they’ve been sitting on for months that could lead to an entirely artificial egg shortage.
Unless they act before Jan. 1, as many as 90 percent of the eggs currently being supplied to the state will disappear from store shelves with prices for anything left expected to exceed $5 a dozen.
Imagine what that will do to our already struggling restaurants, bakeries and "Cool Hand Luke" remakes.
Six state lawmakers – including Needham State Sen. Becca Rausch – sit on a subcommittee charged with unscrambling the differences between two House and Senate bills.
Both egg producers and animal rights groups have agreed to new industry-wide changes for how chickens are raised, four years after a 2016 voter approved ballot initiative imposed new standards on the treatment of farm animals.
And both the Senate and House approved different versions of the same the bill with virtually no opposition.
So where's the disagreement? Pork.
We're talking about actual pigs and how they’re sourced which is part of the same humane treatment of animals bill, writes Emma Platoff for the Globe.
Remember, if this happens, Beacon Hill has had since 2016 to do its job and they all agree on the egg part of this stalemate.
Lab co-working expands on Newton-Watertown line
LabShares Newton, is adding an additional 25,000 sf of space at Chapel Bridge Park in Nonantum, bringing the life science and biotech co-working incubator total leased premises at the complex to about 40,000 square feet, Bulfinch announced.
LabShares members include early stage biotechs, venture-funded startups needing temporary space while waiting for construction completion for their permanent labs, and larger international and public companies seeking a beachhead lab operation in the Boston area.
US Supreme Court shoots down another vax mandate challenge
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block New York’s requirement that health care workers be vaccinated even when they cite religious objections, reports the New York Times.
The big kahuna is still unresolved. That's the challenge to President Biden’s private sector vax-or-test mandate for employers. The rules are supposed to begin Jan. 4 but it's still waiting for its day in the lower courts.
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