Why Be Surprised? MBTA Has Another Train Collision
Riders on the inbound side of the MBTA’s Green Line were a bit rattled this morning when a train ran into another one at the Boylston Street T-Stop. Read the story »
You’re Paying For 40,000 Hotel Nights a Year in Southbridge
In 2001, the US Department of Defense agreed to use 40,000 hours of hotel room nights each year at the Southbridge Hotel and Conference center. Read the story »
Moheghan Tribe Zeroes In on Palmer
The Moheghan Tribe, owner of Moheghan Sun resort and casino, has decided to lease property in Palmer to have a head-start on the competition should the state decide to legalize casino gaming. Read the story »
REVOLT: MBTA Commuters Ticked Off by Parking Lot Hike
Desperate to increase revenue to offset billions in mounting debt, the MBTA decided the best course of action is to target a growing base: the daily commuter who relies on their various parking lots. Read the story »
WGBH Sues over Digital Mural
If you have driven eastbound on the Massachusetts Turnpike, along the extension between the Route 128-tolls and the Ted Williams Tunnel, chances are you have seen (or been distracted or blinded by) a giant digital mural on the side of the new WGBH-TV/Radio studios in Brighton. Read the story »
RMV: No More Renewal Notices
The Registry of Motor Vehicles – hit hard recently by budget cuts – is eliminating a courtesy it has extended to drivers for many years. Read the story »
Worcester Airport Gets Commercial Flights to Myrtle Beach, SC
Direct Air is the most recent commercial airline to take a stab at making money by servicing passengers at Worcester Regional Airport. Read the story »
Retail Centers Still Being Constructed in MA
Maybe the people building new retail centers know something we don’t. Read the story »
Boston Globe Losing $1,000,000 Per Week
The Boston Globe is in such dire financial shape, it was reportedly losing $1,000,000 per week over the summer, prior to another round of cost-cutting measures. Read the story »
Boston Area Home Prices Retreat to ‘03 Levels
Boston has its own virtual time machine, and it is in the form of real estate prices. Because of the rotten real estate market, home prices in the Boston-metro area have fallen to their lowest levels since 2003. Read the story »
Owner of Faneuil Hall and Natick Collection on Verge of Bankruptcy
General Growth Properties, Inc owns shopping malls across the United States. Several Massachusetts malls are in the company’s portfolio. But the rotten economy could take GGP down with it. Read the story »
Cambridge-Based Brightcove Gets Nod from Conde Nast
BrightCove, which develops online video technology, now has a deal to provide video infastructure for the Conde Nast publications. Read the story »
MIT Researchers Hope to Close Network Holes
If you were on board a ship that had dozens of leaks, it would probably make sense to focus on the biggest leaks and get them sealed off, rather than tackle them all at once. That analogy works for a new strategy computer scientists at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory are using to try and secure computer networks. Read the story »
Lexington Firm Monitoring Cyber War Against Georgia
Forget the tanks and ammunition that Russia sent into Georgia over the last week. There is quite a war going on behind-the-scenes with Russian hackers allegedly trying to take down communication networks in Georgia. Read the story »
WPI to Unveil “Green Roof”
On Tuesday, WPI (Worcester Polytechninc Institute) in Worcester, MA will unveil the campus’ first “green roof.” Read the story »
Torkildsen to Step Down as State GOP Chair
He has served as a state legislature, served in the US Congress and most recently chaired the state’s GOP. But Peter Torkildsen has announced he won’t be seeking another term. Read the story »
Pot Advocates Win in MA; Turn to Federal Government
On election night, Massachusetts voters agreed to a ballot question that would decriminalize possession of and ounce or less of marijuana. Now the same advocates who succeeded here want to take their case to the Federal level. Read the story »
GOP Few and Far Between
The Associated Press writes about the obvious: Times are not grand for the GOP here in Massachusetts or New England for that matter. Read the story »
State Still Cutting Costs
The state legislature met on Thursday and approved more spending reductions to bring the state budget in line with actual revenues. Read the story »
MA Voters Can Vote at Old Address
A new law that will be in effect for this election only will allow voters in Massachusetts to vote at a previous address they lived at within the last 18-months. This is only if they have failed to re-register at a new address. Read the story »
BU Biolab Safety Guidelines Outlined
The Boston University biolab is still under construction. Now, its top officials are detailing what sorts of background checks will be done on anyone who wants to work within the facility. Read the story »
UMass Launches Stem Cell Bank
UMass Medical School has launched a new stem cell bank, thanks to a 7-million-dollar grant from the state. The goal is to have more than 100 different types of stem cells in the bank in the coming years. Read the story »
Study Explains Why Chemo Works for Some, Not Others
Researchers at MIT have discovered that not everyone’s cells respond the same way when exposed to radiation. This could help lead to new treatments for people. Read the story »
Massachusetts Launches International Stem Cell Database
Massachusetts will be home to an international stem cell registry. The announcement is one part of the one-billion-dollar life sciences initiative advocated for by Governor Deval Patrick is approaching reality. Read the story »
Massachusetts Clearly a Leader in Clinical Trials
There has been concern that Massachusetts was not home to enough clinical trials, which is one measure of how successful the local life-sciences industry is working. It turns out, for the moment at least, Massachusetts is holding its own. Read the story »
Speaker DiMasi Contradicted by E-Mails
The Boston Globe put the state’s public record laws to work and got a batch of E-Mails from the state’s Department of Education. What is in them appears to contradict what House Speaker Sal DiMasi has said publicly about how a computer firm ended up with a $6-million contract with the state. Read the story »
Is Anyone Surprised? MA State Troopers Audited For Gas Card Usage
Two retired members of the Massachusetts State Police – along with eight others – are under internal investigation because charges on their gas cards “warranted a closer look.” Read the story »
Worcester Police Department Continues its FAIL Game
Months after insisting it would cost $1500 for records sought by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Worcester Police Department has cashed the check and not produced any records. Read the story »
CORRUPTION CAUGHT ON TAPE
Eight-term Massachusetts State Senator Dianne Wilkerson was arrested this morning on public corruption charges stemming from her acceptance of more than $20,000 in cash payments to introduce legislation in the State Senate according to the US Attorney’s office. Read the story »
INCOMPETENCE: Hamilton Ambulance Service Suspended
The Hamilton Police Department was forced to shut down its ambulance service after a state investigation found serious deficiencies in the training and qualifications of the officers. Read the story »
