Skip to content
Newton, Needham, Watertown, Wellesley
Subscribe to our free e-newsletter
Our Region
Directory
Member Login

Ready or not, masks mandates fall like dominos

Back to Chamber News

Ready or not, masks mandates fall like dominos

It's nice to be back in your inbox after several days off.
 
A bill approved by the state Senate last week would allow Newton and nine other communities to essentially ban the use of fossil fuels in newly constructed and renovations of small commercial buildings and homes.
 
The provision is part of a $250 million clean energy bill that would also expand rebates for electric vehicle and provide $50 million to expand charging stations infrastructure.
 
It would also require that 10% of parking spots in new developments have chargers. And it includes an overhaul of offshore wind procurement and rules requiring greater scrutiny on the future of natural gas.
 
WBUR’s Miriam Wasser provides an easy to follow explainer of what’s featured in the bill. 
 
Each community could have different fossil fuel rules
 
The Senate bill still needs to be reconciled with a narrower House bill passed last month. So, the final version will likely look quite different.
 
But the provision we'll be following the closest would give 10 communities (Newton, Brookline, Arlington, Lexington, Lincoln, Concord, Acton and three to be determined) the authority to create their own building code rules -- something that’s certainly going to create some confusion and challenges for the small developers of buildings under 20,000 sf that the Newton City Council wants to target with this bill.
 
(Last night the Newton City Council approved a resolution asking the Fuller administration to adopt to a BERDO-like program for larger properties.)
 
There’s no doubt that we need to dramatically reduce our buildings' carbon footprints. But as the Globe's Jon Chesto wrote last week, some business groups fear halting natural gas hookups will drive up housing costs, hurt affordability, and deter development by requiring projects to go all-electric.
 
And Ted Tye, managing partner at National Development in Newton told Chesto he doubts the region’s electric grid has the capacity to handle a significant rise in demand, and that “building technology has not yet caught up with our desire to fully escape fossil fuels.”
 
Please join us next Tuesday (April 26) at 10 a.m. for a webinar that will explore the challenges and opportunities of making buildings more sustainable.
 
"Achieving Net Zero Emissions" will start with an update on the latest state and local proposals and regulatory efforts. We'll also look at some projects and strategies architects and builders are successfully using to properties less dependent on carbon emissions.
 
Register
 
 
 
 
Ready or not, masks rules vanish
 
Two Florida anti-vaxers (including one who's also worried about the “globalist war on testosterone”) managed to overturn two years of federal mask mandates this week.
 
As a result of their lawsuit, face mask rules fell like dominos yesterday, not just at airports but also on the MBTA, Amtrak, Uber and Lyft (but, so far, not on steamships).
 
“Feel free to burn them at will,” a train conductor told cheerful New Jersey commuters, according to AP, even as the parents with children too young to be vaccinated, or masked, worried.
 
Some health and legal experts warn that allowing the ruling to stand could handcuff the CDC’s response in future crises.
 
At the same time some experts believe those who are vaccinated and wear a high-quality mask like an N95 or KN95 are generally well protected even if those around them are unmasked. 
 
Mandates over. Party on, right?
 
Maybe not. Certainly not for these kids.
 
STAT explores six still-unanswered COVID mysteries.
 
 
Other need to knows
 
  • Watertown Community Fridge has found a new home at the Belmont Watertown Methodist Church on Mount Auburn Street. Their current location closes today and they hope to be up and running at the new site by early next week.
 
  • The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline will be hosting a Ukraine Relief program Sunday (April 24) at noon. The event includes the screening the critically acclaimed “The Guide” a 2014 Ukrainian film set against the backdrop of Soviet efforts to exterminate Ukrainians in the 1930s that provides a historical context for understanding the continuing persecution of Ukrainians. Even if you cannot attend, donations are encouraged. Details. 
 
  • Art Wellesley is continuing its effort to enliven empty store fronts in Wellesley Square with art. The group is collaborating with local landlords, Linear Retail Properties and Bulfinch Companies, to brighten up Wellesley Square. Last month, AW hosted a couple of maker nights in on of Linear’s available properties.
 
  • Looking to order meals for your office staff or planning a private party or special event while supporting our local restaurants? We’ve just updated our Easy Eats directory, a one-stop shop for you to browse catering or private event venues for a wide variety of occasions at chamber member restaurants.
 
  • The Baker administration is hosting a series of 10 regional employer road shows from late April to May, with the goal of connecting employers to new and existing workforce supports . The closest to us takes place Monday (April 25) 4:30 p.m. in Framingham. Register.
 
Muzi redevelopment could net Needham $5M in new taxes
 
The Bulfinch Companies will launch a series of neighborhood meeting next week to share its plans for the former Muzi motors site along I-95 in Needham. (Globe story here.)
 
The company believes its proposed lab, research and office space project will net Needham an additional $5 million in tax (real estate and property) revenue annually above what Muzi was contributing.
 
Bullfinch is also offering to widen Gould Street, improving traffic flow with new traffic signals and add bike lanes.
 
Needham’s Planning Department has created a webpage to share documents, meeting announcements and other information about the redevelopment. 
 
Struggle continues for restaurants
 
Nearly half (48%) of all U.S. restaurants and bars that did not receive the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund grant in 2021 say they're in danger of closing in the next year, according to the survey by the independent Restaurant Coalition.
 
That’s more than twice the 22% of businesses that received an RRF grant that report they’re also struggling to survive to the spring of 2023, according to Andy Medici for the BBJ.
 
The survey also found:
  • 28% of restaurants that did not get an RRF grant are in danger of being evicted, compared to 20% for those that did get a grant. 
  • 91% of owners said a grant would allow them to absorb rising food costs without significantly raising menu prices.
  • 83% of restaurants said a grant would allow them to increase their wages
 
?The survey is part of an uphill battle to encourage the Senate to pass additional small business rescue legislation, which was approved by the U.S. House this month.
 
Before you go, may I have three (more) minutes of your time?
 
Each spring we ask business leaders and employees in our communities to a tell us about the issues that are most important to their success.
 
Your responses to our annual Business Outlook Survey will help us determine our priorities and programing for the next 12 months.
 
If you’ve yet to participate please do so now. Thanks!
 
 
 
 
That’s today’s Need to Knows for today (the anniversary of the Columbine massacre) unless you want to know happened to revenue and profitability after Dick’s Sporting Goods decided to restrict firearms sales following the Parkland massacre.
 
Be back Friday. Go Celtics. 
 
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
Powered By GrowthZone