The original state program was supposed to provide bonus payments -- ranging from $500 to $2,000 -- for low wage retail, restaurant, transportation, health care and other onsite workers.
Wait, there's more: The payments won’t be limited to those folks who spent the darkest months of the pandemic behind cash registers, takeout counters, steering wheels and cleaning supply carts.
According to the Baker administration, there was no clear-cut way to determine who worked in person, or who worked remotely, writes Shira Schoenberg at Commonwealth.
Instead, an estimated 500,000 low income workers will receive a check in the mail in March if they earned at least $12,750 in employment income in 2020. That equates to working 20 hours a week for 50 weeks at minimum wage at no more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
State employees and anyone who received unemployment benefits in 2020 aren't eligible.
Mask mandates ending...depending where you go
Just a few short weeks ago, all the talk was about how only N95s and KN95s provided sufficient protection against Omicron.
But as an indication of how quickly things are rebounding, Worcester, Lowell, Malden, Mansfield, Salem and other Bay State communities have just dropped their indoor masks mandates. (New York, California and New Jersey are dropping their mask rules too.)
As of last night Newton and Watertown still required indoor masks in public spaces. We'll let you know when that changes.
And by the way
Good for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for laying out the specific criteria for when Boston's poof of vaccine rules would be lifted at restaurants, fitness clubs and entertainment.
Establishing benchmarks is exactly how leaders should manage future surges.
Gives us all skin in the game.
You've got questions? We're getting answers
One question I’m asked a lot is, ‘When are we going to see something being built on the Northland site?”
Another is, “Remind me, what’s that updated plan for the Riverside T station again?”
There’s also, “What going into the area in West Newton where the Shoe Barn used the be?” And, “What are they building next to the bus depot on Galen Street in Watertown?”
Join me virtually tomorrow (Thurs) at 9 a.m. for the answers.
My guests will be Damien Chaviano (Mark Development), Kent Gonzales (Northland) and Jodie Zussman, (Boston Development Group). They'll discuss the latest on their projects and how labor and supply chain shortages are impacting construction on their developments and across the region.
If your company is doing something unique to mark Black History Month let me know.
Other need to knows
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller joined 14 other mayors and municipal mayors in support of legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts to apply for and get standard state driver's licenses . "Our streets will be safer for everyone when all drivers have passed road tests, and vehicles are registered and insured," the letter said. (State House News)
Babson College’s Graduate Office of Experiential Learning is accepting proposalsuntil Feb. 15 from organizations for its May 2022 programs. The program matches up organizations with student consulting teams.
Newton, Baker taking different looks curbing fossil fuels
The City of Boston adopted an ambitious program last year that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of its largest buildings.
Tonight, a Newton City Council committee will do the opposite. They're considering a home rule petition that would ban fossil fuel usage on new construction and “substantial” renovations of our smallest non-residential buildings, as well as residential.
As I wrote yesterday, Newton hopes to eventually adopt a program to regulate buildings over 20,000 square feet. But there’s not even a draft of that plan yet. Meanwhile, the Baker administration proposed state building code changes yesterday designed to encourage, rather than mandate, builders to shift away from fossil fuel heating in favor of electrification, reports Colin A. Young at State House News.
Baker’s municipal opt-in net-zero stretch energy code does not eliminate gas-heated buildings but would hold them to a higher efficiency standard. Communities that embrace most restrictive stretch code would become eligible for certain grants and benefits.
Have you been thinking: "Those nice folks at the chamber never email me anymore"?
Could be because some email filters are blocking emails from us or marking them as spam.
As we work to fix this problem (any email gurus want to help?), please add our domain @charlesriverchamber.com to your safe senders list to make sure that you receive all communications to your inbox.
Conan discovers 'geniuses' in West Newton
Finally, yep, that was comic Conan O’Brien with a giant grin on his face in front of the recently-opened Bluebird Bar & Wood-Fired Grill in West Newton on Saturday.
“My brother Luke just took me to an incredible restaurant near my old 'hood: The Bluebird Bar & Wood-Fired Grill," O’Brien Tweeted to his 28.4 million followers.
"If these guys aren't geniuses, I don't know the meaning of the word.”
“Thank you so much, Conan!” the restaurant responded on its Facebook page. “Looking forward to hosting you, Luke, and the family again soon.”
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That’s today’s Need to Knows, unless you need to know does Bambi have COVID? And, can he give it to you?
