Sunday, May 12, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
Massachusetts' problem is now Virginia's. After a macabre, around-the-clock stakeout of a Worcester funeral home this week by frenzied reporters and furious protestors, the remains of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev were secreted out of central Massachusetts and buried in a small Muslim cemetery in rural Virginia. No cemetery in Massachusetts, or public official for that matter, wanted Tsarnaev's body. And Gov. Deval Patrick just seemed relieved the tense standoff was over. "No. I have enough to do," Patrick said, when asked if he wished he had gotten involved to end the theatrics sooner. The April 15 attacks on the finish line of the Boston Marathon threw Beacon Hill policymakers off stride, quieting the raging debate …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Governor Deval Patrick addressed the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce to discuss how he plans to improve the Commonwealths economic development.
Governor Deval Patrick spoke to the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday to discuss economic opportunities and job growth. And with the sequester on the minds of many business owners, Governor Patrick believed that it was still too early to tell what can happen in Massachusetts. "The question is if it that does happen, will it happen right away? Or at the next fiscal year? We don't know," he said. But he was confident that the investments that are currently being made in education and infrastructure will not only help the economy, but will also help future generations. "I thought to myself, 'Our grandparents gave us that.' Like Route 3 and I-95 or the street I came down to get here this morning; like the T and Logan Airport …
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?
All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tell us: do you think we need to increase taxes to strengthen education and transportation?
In his State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday night, Gov. Deval Patrick proposed raising the state's income tax by 1 percentage point and lowering the sales tax to pay for $2 billion in transportation improvements and early childhood education programs. "There is no good time to raise taxes. I know how tough the times have been on the people and families of the Commonwealth. And though the worst of the recession is over, many, many families still face tough decisions and have deep anxiety about the future. I would not ask if I did not believe in my heart that investing meaningfully today in education and transportation will significantly improve our economic tomorrows," Patrick said. Patrick said he wanted a more fair and …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The two utility companies have had complaints in recent storms—Hurricane Irene and Snowtober—but say they stepped it up for Sandy.
Hurricane Sandy blew out of the region earlier this week, but not without causing massive power outages, some of which have yet to be fixed. Both National Grid and NStar say they did a better, faster job in fixing power outages than in previous storms, according to WBUR. Not everyone agrees, however. According to the story, Newton Mayor Setti Warren said NStar was faster, but there's still work to be done. Gov. Deval Patrick also told WBUR the companies worked faster, but said a "total victory" can't be declared. Do you agree? Have they improved since the last storm? Or is there still work to be done? Tell us in the comments.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick speaks with Patch readers live at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Which questions do you want him to answer?
If you could ask Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick one question, what would it be? Patrick will join Patch Thursday at 1:30 p.m. for a live chat with readers. Now isyour chance to ask the executive of the commonwealth your question about casinos, the economy, elections or whatever else you want to know. Can't make it to the live chat? Leave your questions for Patrick in the comments to have them considered for the live Q&A session. We'll be sure to ask about the most popular topics when we chat Thursday. To join our chat, head on over to our homepage from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Ask Gov. Deval Patrick about any topic you like during our live chat at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Gov. Deval Patrick will take your questions live on Patch this Thursday. The governor will spend 45 minutes fielding your questions as they come. Head to our homepage from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday to join our chat. You'll simply have to provide your name, and you'll be able to ask your questions immediately. If you can't make the live chat, leave your questions as comments to this article, and we'll do our best to add them to the queue. We will publish the live chat transcript immediately and a recap first thing on Friday morning. Questions submitted will be subject to moderator approval. No vulgar or libelous comments will be allowed. Because we expect a high volume of questions for the chat session, we will keep the questions …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Killing of Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire helped gain support for Melissa's Bill, which limits parole eligibility for convicted violent repeat offenders.
With the fate of Melissa's Bill solely in Gov. Deval Patrick's hands Tuesday, the governor made a decision at 2:30 p.m. "I will sign this bill," he said Melissa's Bill, named for Melissa Gosule who was killed by a violent repeat offender who was out on parole, has been in the works for years. But it was the killing of Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire on Dec. 26, 2010 that spurred more support for the bill. Officer Maguire responded to an armed robbery at Kohl's in the middle of a blizzard. When he stopped the suspect, a paroled repeat offender with several convictions for robbery and violence against police officers, gunfire was exchanged. Officer Maguire was killed, as was the suspect. Chuck Maguire, Officer Maguire's brother, has …
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Governor Councilor Kelly Timilty, of Roslindale, 49, passed away Tuesday.
Governor's Councilor Kelly Timilty passed away Tuesday at the age of 49, according to multiple media outlets. Timilty served under five governors as an elected official for District 2. She was a Roslindale resident. Through the years, Timilty worked with countless elected officials and residents, some of who have offered comments on her passing: "Kelly was a wonderful person from a public service family through her family history," said West Roxbury District Councilor Matt O'Malley. "She loved Boston, she loved her entire district. She was accessible. She was funny. She was just really, really a kind, kind person. I always enjoyed seeing her and catching up and talking about her family. She was always interested in what I was doing and …
JT
3:40 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
People should use their common sense in situations like this--but there are always some who won't and will endanger others in the process. The ban was good in that respect, and the $500 fine certainly should have made folks think twice if they were hesitating over driving or staying home for no particular reason. However, the threatened jail time was absurd--and enough's been said about that here… more ›