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Presidential Inauguration

'We've Got A Steep Road Ahead': Americans Focus On The Future

Updated at 5:40 p.m. ET As President Joe Biden took the oath of office on Jan. 20 with his history-making vice president , Kamala Harris, people across the nation seemed cautiously optimistic. Biden and Harris take office in the wake of a violent and deadly attempt by supporters of President Donald Trump to block Congress from certifying Electoral College votes on Jan. 6. In the two weeks since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, federal law enforcement officers have made arrests and...

Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, at left, with Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano. — State House News Service

Massachusetts Legislators File Bill To Restart Talks on Climate, Emissions

The climate and emissions reduction bill vetoed by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker last week has been refiled by state House and Senate leaders in the hopes of quickly returning the legislation to the governor — only this time, with the opportunity to override a veto, if it comes.

Worcester Begins Coronavirus Vaccinations At Homeless Shelters

Expected New Revenue May Zero Out Connecticut Deficit Without Raising Taxes

WASHINGTON

Biden Adviser Sees Local Answers To Boosting Mask Use, Speeding Up Vaccinations

The night before their inauguration, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris stood near the Lincoln Memorial and marked more than 400,000 people killed by the coronavirus. On Wednesday, the Biden administration takes responsibility for fighting the pandemic. But for two of the biggest obstacles to curbing the pandemic — getting more people to wear masks and speeding up millions of COVID-19 vaccinations — the answer won't just come from federal leaders, an adviser to President Biden said. The solutions...

2 Mass. Residents Arrested By FBI, Charged In U.S. Capitol Riots

By Deborah Becker • 18 hours ago

Two Massachusetts residents were arrested by FBI agents Tuesday and charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.

City Council's Lawsuit Against Springfield Mayor Sarno Goes Before A Judge

By Adam Frenier • Jan 19, 2021

Springfield, Massachusetts, Mayor Domenic Sarno in a file photo. Behind him stands Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood. — Adam Frenier / NEPR

A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has taken under advisement a lawsuit by the Springfield City Council against the mayor in a dispute about police department oversight.

Western Mass. Medical Leader Says Region's Hospitals Have Adequate Capacity

By Alden Bourne • Jan 19, 2021

Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts — Don Treeger / The Republican / Masslive

The top doctor at a Springfield, Massachusetts, medical facility said the region has enough capacity to treat patients for COVID-19 and other illnesses — at least for now.

Offshore Wind Backers Hope Vineyard Wind Permitting Woes Will End Under Biden

By Bruce Gellerman • Jan 19, 2021

For Massachusetts to meet its 2050 climate change emission goal, the state is going to have to green the grid, replacing fossil fuel power plants with clean renewable energy sources. To do this, the commonwealth is banking on offshore wind.

“Offshore wind is the linchpin of Massachusetts clean energy strategy and critical to our success,” said State Sen. Michael Barrett, head of the committee that oversees utilities and energy.

By 2030, developers of offshore wind hope to install over 2,000 turbines in the seas from Massachusetts to North Carolina.

When It Comes To School COVID Testing, Finding Asymptomatic Cases Doesn't Come Cheap

By Carrie Jung • Jan 19, 2021

It’s a snowy afternoon in early January and the carpool lane at the Bromfield High School in Harvard, Mass. is packed with cars. But the families inside aren’t here to drop off their kids. They’re here for COVID-19 tests.

“I’m going to just swab each side about four times around,” says a healthcare worker to 13-year-old Emma Squire and her 16-year-old sister, Molly. The two girls look straight ahead as they got the test.

More Regional News

Recreation

Ski Down and Mask Up — Resorts Try To Stay Safe In Pandemic Skiing Boom

Eager to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors, more people than ever are hitting the slopes on skis and snowboards. "Oh, yeah. I mean, we sold probably a thousand more season passes this year than we ever had," says John DeVivo, the General Manager of Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire. "We were up about 20% in pass sales." Those passes let skiers or snowboarders ski all season and can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the resort. DeVivo says there's also strong demand...