The MBTA's recent changes to the commuter rail schedule seems like a creative way to rethink mass transit.

 

Unless you work or live in Newton. Then you are getting stranded.

 

The T's spring schedule eliminated some rush-hour trains and added trains during the middle of day at regular one-hour intervals. For example, trains on the Framingham/Worcester Line now depart Worcester every hour on the hour from 5 a.m. through 7 p.m. with additional trains outside of those times (GBH).

 

The idea makes sense: Work patterns have changed. All day service encourages ridership in both directions, not just folks going to 9 to 5 jobs in Boston or Cambridge. More outbound service can help employers bring workers who live in the urban core to our jobs here.

 

Those changes are now happening everywhere EXCEPT in Newton, Bruce Mohl writes for CommonWealth.

 

Rather than the hourly stops every other Framingham/Worcester Line community enjoys, there are 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.

 

The problem, Mohl explains, dates back “to poor decision-making by state transportation officials back in the early 1960s” which left passenger platforms only on one side of the tracks, resulting in trains skipping Garden City stops altogether.

 

That’s bad news for our businesses looking to draw workers from Boston to jobs on Newton's north side.

 

It also throws off-track Newton’s efforts to help address the region’s housing shortage by building what's intended to be transit-oriented housing along the Washington Street Corridor.

 

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller wrote to MBTA asking to address the problem last month.

 

Meanwhile, the T has offered up a (totally unacceptable, in my view) 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. 

 

Who’s going take a job in Newton if they have to do that? How will this not result in more Newton residents driving?

 

Of course, the solution is to construct two sided platforms, an effort that’s going to take time and money.

 

In the interim, the chamber joins Mayor Fuller’s calls for the T to "stand up right now" and fully restore the express buses to and from Boston which would at least provide our workers and residents with a reasonable alternative.

 

 

Wellesley Town Meeting took a big step Monday that should transform the town’s dining scene and, hopefully, signals an appetite to make other changes too.

 

Members overwhelming voted, 202-1, to eliminate a rule requiring restaurants have at least 50 seats to obtain a liquor license.

 

The change (which still needs approval from Beacon Hill) could entice small boutique and specialty restaurants to open in town. That, in turn, should help fill an alarming number of empty storefronts.

 

The chamber is grateful to the Select Board and Town Meeting for supporting this change.

 

Now we urge the board to begin working on eliminating Wellesley’s intent to dine rule as well as regulations that severely restrict the number of bar seats.

 

 

Even the CEO of Zoom says it happens to him.
 

 

 

The Globe’s Andy Rosen wrote a nice tribute to Barry Steinberg, founder of Direct Tire and Auto Service, who passed away last month at the age of 75.

 

Steinberg opened Direct’s flagship on Galen Street in Watertown in 1974 and grew his business to three other locations.

 

His secret to success? A relentless commitment to customer service and charging customers enough to support the cost of good service.

 

“[He] prided himself on his judgment of character, and he went out of his way to hire people recently released from state prisons,” Rosen writes.

 

To gain a deeper appreciation of how Steinberg made his business model work, I recommend these two trade industry articles:

 

 

Direct Tire’s longtime GM Bob Lane is taking over the Galen Street store. Sullivan Tire will acquire Direct’s stores in Medway and Peabody. The Norwood location will close.

 

 

Now that Needham Town Meeting voted 168-37 to approve new zoning for the parcels where Muzi Motor and Channel 5 are located, perhaps it's time to consider the future of the industrial area on the other side of I-95 behind Staples on Highland Ave.

 

Since the start of this year, a team of Boston College seniors have been doing just that. And tomorrow (Thursday) at noon they’ll share their visioning project via Zoom. Register.

 

 

 

 

 

Newton’s Karyopharm Therapeutics has a new CEO and president.

 

Richard Paulson brings with him a collective 25 years of leadership experience at Pfizer, Amgen and Ipsen North America.

 

Karyopharm's previous CEO Michael Kauffman -- a long-time good friend to the chamber -- is now a senior clinical advisor. Prior president Sharon Shacham will continue as chief scientific officer.

 

Paulson is tasked with commercializing Karyopharm's cancer drugs, one of which has been approved by the U.S. FDA for the blood cancer multiple myeloma as well as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, reports Rowan Walrath at the BBJ.

 

The Wells Ave.-based company is currently testing the same drug in clinical trials for a variety of ailments, including solid tumors.

 

Karyopharm was the third-fastest growing public company in Massachusetts last year, according to the BBJ, with revenue growth of 2,447.85% between 2017 and 2019.

 

Yes, you read that right 2,447.85% in two years.

 

 

Finally in case you missed it, last week our Board of Directors unanimously endorsed a set of principles designed to guide our all aspects of our organization’s operations and strategic initiatives, including our programming and events, in regards to diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

Here’s our Inclusion statement supporting DEI, anti-racism and anti-bias.

 

My thanks to the chamber's Diversity & Inclusion Committee for creating this important document and also for creating Friday’s panel program “Seizing the Moment Against Racism: What Allies Can Do.”

 

If you missed that too, here’s the video.

 

 

 

Tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. the chamber is hosting a presentation exploring how the pandemic impacted and continues to impact women in the workplace.

 

Tina Lawler McHugh and Keila Viñas of Boston College’s Center for Work and Families will be discussing a strategic framework for employers to re-evaluate and re-design their women’s career advancement efforts in response to this gendered pandemic - and includes best practices from four global organizations.

 

But here’s the problem: Although nearly to 50 people have registered for tomorrow ONLY THREE OF THOSE REGISTERED ARE MEN!!

 

Dudes: This has to be our issue too. In fact, I suspect it’s more important for most of us guys to attend this program than most women.

 

“Women's Advancement in the Post-Pandemic Workplace" starts at 9:30 a.m. Register here.

  

I’ll be looking for you!

 

617-244-1688

Your chamber is here when you need us.

 

P.S. Don’t forget, today is New Shepard registration day. Promise me: If you go, you’ll send a text from outer space.