HEALTH

This week, The Rundown unpacks local effects of the Iran War, explore a state budget hearing and plans to address health care needs in western Mass.

In this weekly check-in with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, NEPM's Kari Njiiri asks him about the local effects of the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran and the state of health care for rural communities in WMass.

The Clean Slate Massachusetts campaign is pressing state lawmakers to make it seamless for eligible criminal records to be sealed.

The so-called Bright Act, is a $3 billion bond bill aiming to put at least $2.5 billion of that back into campuses across Massachusetts.

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which Immigration and Customs Enforcement falls under, ran out Saturday, causing a partial government shutdown. Springfield U.S. Rep. Richard Neal says Democrats have demands to try and reel in ICE.

Today on The Rundown, we discuss rising need for food assistance, Rep. Jim McGovern's accusations that Veterans Administration chaplains are facing censorship and how a Berkshire community hopes to improve drinking water quality.

In her proposed budget released last week, the Mass. governor included a multi million-dollar "down payment" that will staff up and investing in infrastructure that could be used to kick thousands of residents off Medicaid programs like MassHealth, next year.

A new website, Valleyvax.org, aims to build trust among parents who may be confused by the change in the CDC's vaccine guidelines. The local website recommends the previous, science-based vaccine schedule, which is supported by national health organizations.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey will deliver the annual State of the Commonwealth address on Thursday evening.

This week Massachusetts state executive and Legislative budget officials are expected to release the consensus tax revenue estimate, a figure that is used in fiscal year 2027 budget proposals.