We’re five days away from the full reopening of the Massachusetts economy.

 

And we’re 22 days away from the lifting of the state of emergency.

 

Today is also the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the movement it helped advance.

 

If you could take a few minutes today, I’d be interested knowing how your business or nonprofit may have evolved in terms of hiring, creating policies, programs, products or action items over the past year to make your operation more responsible and responsive to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

Just as importantly what issues are your business or nonprofit struggling with? Where do you need more guidance? More help? More support? More resources?

 

I’m asking because I’d like to share your ideas and best practices with others. But I'm also asking because I’d like to learn from you to inform our own actions, advocacy and activities.

 

Thanks in advance for sharing any and all ideas, best practices and suggestions.

 

And a reminder to join us tomorrow (Weds. 11 a.m.) for our Unconscious Bias Training webinar.

 

 

 

With the reopening of the economy, the MBTA will increase frequency on the Green Line and other routes, along with more than two dozen bus routes starting June 20.

 

Four bus lines that had been eliminated in the spring service cuts including Route 52 from Dedham to Watertown, will return. Roughly 30 other bus routes will run with greater frequency starting June 20.

 

Still missing from the list released yesterday is the discontinued 505 Express Bus route that once zipped Newton commuters into Boston and Boston workers to jobs in Newton and surrounding communities.

 

In addition, express routes 553, 554, 556 and 558 that used to take riders all the way into Boston now terminate at Newton Corner and require a transfer.

 

Failure to restore these routes is a major problem for employers and commuters here because recent changes to the commuter rail system have left us with long stretches in the morning heading west, and long stretches of the afternoon heading east, when the trains fly by the Newtonville, West Newton and Auburndale stations without stopping.

 

As Bruce Mohl wrote recently in CommonWealth, Newton is the only place along the line where this gap occurs.

 

Meanwhile, the T recently began running an entirely unhelpful circulator bus that – slowly – will take riders who would normally use the rail stops to the Green Line, a trip that will easily add an hour, or more, to each commute in each direction. 

 
 

 

Belmont Chinese restaurant Shangri-La is closing May 31 "due to uncontrollable circumstances" after 21 years, according to a note in their website.

 
 

 

Gov. Charlie Baker has been resisting calls to follow other states that are offering a return-to-work bonus as a way to motivate unemployed workers to reenter the workforce. 

 

But one Republican state senator wants to force him to do so.

 

Sen. Ryan Fattman has proposed an amendment to the 2022 budget that uses federal stimulus funds to pay unemployed residents up to $1,200 if they land and keep a job, reports MassLive.

 

Fattman’s amendment, to be considered by the Senate this week, would split a $1,200 bonus into three payments: $400 upon verification of securing a job; another $400 after six months of employment; and another $400 after a full year of continuous employment.

 

The bonus would be available for individuals currently collecting unemployment who find work between the adoption this year’s budget and Sept. 4.

 

But given that his bonus program wouldn’t kick in until after the budget is approved -- July 1 at the earliest -- could Fattman’s proposal have the unintended consequence of giving some job seekers an extra incentive to stay on the sidelines for one more month, or longer, to see if they’d qualify?

 

 

Also on the Senate’s agenda this week are a series of budget amendments aimed at helping restaurants, including extending outdoor dining past August, a continuation of the caps on third party meal delivery fees and allowing to-go cocktails.

 

But a group representing the state’s package stores are pushing back on that last item pointing to public safety reasons and inadequate policing of third-party delivery services, potentially allowing more minors access to alcohol.

 

The Globe’s Jon Chesto has more.

 

 

 

 

 

How far we’ve come since this.

 

Effective today, the state's vaccine pre-registration system will be closed to new patients as officials work to connect all remaining pre-registered individuals with appointments. The entire pre-registration system closes May 31. (State House News).

 

That doesn’t mean the state is giving up on aggressively pursuing unvaccinated arms, just that it’s transitioning to walk-in appointments and a homebound vaccination program.

 

Massachusetts also offers an employer vaccine program that will bring vaccinators to your workplace.

 

 

Aug. 2 is the new April 15.

 

The state has once again delayed the due date for employers to pay their quarterly unemployment insurance bills, to allow more time for state officials to prevent a surprising spike, the Globe Jon Chesto reports.

 

Lawmakers sent legislation last week to Gov. Baker that would spread these costs of pandemic-related UI costs over 20 years. The administration is still reviewing that legislation.

 

 

 

Citations and warnings for distracted driving on Massachusetts roadways have exploded in the last four months, reflecting both stepped-up enforcement and also growing traffic as the state continues to reopen.

 

In January, police issued 151 citations and warnings for distracted driving. That increased to 405 in February, 3, 515 in March, and 10,276 in April -- about 68 times as many as in January, reports Chris Lisinski at State House News.

 

The law prohibiting the use of any electronic device while driving, save for a single tap or swipe to activate hands-free mode, took effect in February 2020 with fines starting in April 2020, just as most of us were doing most of our tapping and swiping at home.

 

Traffic is back too after dropping significantly earlier in the pandemic. Officials project travel this Memorial Day weekend will be "approaching and possibly even matching 2019 volumes."

 

And that’s today’s Need to Knows -- unless you need to know why you shouldn’t smoke pot in public with a shirt over your head.

 

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