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It was a big night for Massachusetts — and not just because the Celtics selected 6-foot-11, 240-pound University of Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr., as their first round draft pick. Brockton's AJ Dybantsa became the first Massachusetts native to be picked first in the NBA draft since Patrick Ewing in 1985. He heads to the Washington Wizards. Also in the first round: Southborough's Alex Karaban got drafted at No. 29 by the Sacramento Kings. Now, for a different kind of power move: Game over: One of the state's most powerful real estate lobbies is backing out of negotiations for rent control. This comes after the Supreme Judicial Court yesterday blocked the rent control question from appearing on the ballot this November because it includes a religious exemption. - Leverage lost: The lobbying group, NAIOP Massachusetts, wanted to keep the expansive, state-wide rent control question from going in front of voters. So they and other industry leaders were negotiating a more narrow compromise bill that would have allowed communities to opt into rent control. But now, the group's CEO Tamara Small told WBUR's Stevee Chapman that's off the table. "Because there is no question appearing on the ballot, there is no compromise to be reached," she said.
- How to solve the housing crisis now? Small said NAIOP wants lawmakers to consider other solutions, like expedited permitting and reviews so it's easier to build. Supports of the ballot question say the fight for rent control isn't over and hinted they'll push for the question's return in the 2028 election.
- Keeping count: This is the second ballot question the SJC has blocked. (The other, which would have lowered the state income tax, was booted because of a faulty summary.) Still, voters could see a record number of ballot questions this fall, with nine total to decide. That would tie the current record-years, 1976 and 1972, which had all or most of the questions placed on the ballot by the Legislature rather than voters.
Seize, please! Norwood town officials are asking the state to take over by eminent domain the site of the shuttered Norwood Hospital. It closed six years ago after a flood ruined the building — and it's since been a saga around who will rebuild it and when. The plea comes as a new report details the closure's dire impacts on the roughly 250,000 residents who were once served by the hospital. - The backstory: In June of 2020, almost four inches of rain fell in Norwood within 90 minutes, creating a scene that looked like something out of "The Titanic," and putting Norwood Hospital out of commission. The hospital's former owner, Steward Health Care, promised to rebuild and (eventually) began construction of a new $325 million building. But in 2024, that stopped when Steward filed for bankruptcy and then abandoned the under-construction hospital and nearby clinics.
- The impact: Emergency response times have more than doubled for residents previously served by Norwood Hospital, according to a new report. Norwood Town Manager Tony Mazzucco told WBUR's John Bender that residents of the 10 towns in the hospital's immediate area are in a tough spot, especially for cardiac emergencies. "Those cases now need to travel into Boston or to Brockton, and those cases are clocked at well over 30 minutes to get to where they need to be," he said. "And remember that the ambulance has to get back, so it's taking an ambulance ... out of service for upwards of an hour."
- The latest: Mass General Brigham recently attempted to buy the hospital, The Boston Globe reports, but talks stopped when Medical Properties Trust, the current owner, raised the asking price 50%, to $375 million. Mazzucco said that's too much for a "half-built hospital." "The math is never going to work out," he said.
- How would a state seizure work? The state would find a buyer to pay fair market value, meaning the two parties would come to an agreement on what it would take to complete the building and get the hospital up and running when considering the price tag. There's some precedent. Massachusetts seized formerly Steward-owned St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton. (For comparison, St. Elizabeth's, which was open at the time of sale, was priced at about $70 million.)
P.S.— Come watch Lionel Messi in the World Cup with WBUR and El Planeta! We'll be at Chelsea's Fiesta Fútbol this Saturday starting at 4 p.m. in Chelsea Square. And don't forget to bring your albums. We'll be slinging out free FIFA Panini sticker packs and trading right at our tent. I'll see you there! |
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| | | Meagan McGinnes-Bessey Managing Editor, Digital Audience & Community Engagement | | |
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Rubato HK Café chef Laurence Louie made the finals on one of the biggest TV cooking competitions in the world. Though he didn’t win "Top Chef," he says he didn’t lose either. His Cantonese and Hong Kong-style cuisine — inspired by the food he grew up with — fueled his rise on the show. Read more. |
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Mattapan residents say a quiet sadness has descended over the neighborhood after a man accused of carjacking careened onto a sidewalk and dragged a woman several hundred feet to her death. Read more. |
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An expansive bipartisan bill intended to bring down the cost of housing by boosting the supply of homes has passed both houses of Congress and is headed to the president's desk for a signature. Read more. |
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The measure to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran does not require the president's signature, nor does it carry the force of law. But it reflects bipartisan frustration with the war. Read more. |
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The impending loss of coverage on July 1 has some of the state’s lowest-income residents, who rely on Medicaid, searching for extra cash to pay for the medicines out of pocket. The costs are steep, typically up to $450 per month. Read more. |
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- In yesterday's World Cup game at Gillette Stadium, England dominated possession, but came up empty on several late scoring opportunities in a rain-filled 0-0 draw.
- If you're looking to move and groove this weekend, you're in luck. From the Boston Art & Music Soul Festival to Somerville’s jubilant Big Gay Dance Party in Union Square, here are our arts and culture team's recs for things to do.
- Two Boston City Councilors have a new Orange Line idea: extend the line from Ruggles to Mattapan Square. They want the city to scrap a controversial bus lane on Blue Hill Avenue and go with their plan. But WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez reports an extension is a long shot and would take years to finish.
- WBUR's Carol Iaciofano Aucoin has two new summer reading recs: “The Shampoo Effect” and “Beach Thriller." The novels are set on the same Massachusetts coast, but that's where the similarities end.
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- Eli Lilly gave extraordinary obesity drug access to a 79-year-old patient. Who was it? (STAT)
- Inside an alarming year for Mass. prisons: Spate of suicides forces reckoning (MassLive)
- After 40 Years, a Tenacious Lifeguard Still Swims Against the Tide (The New York Times)
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When she was 16, Akemi Ueda attended a high school music camp a mile away from Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony, where she could attend any performance. "Before that summer, I’d never been in a place where everyone’s sole focus was to make art, to create beauty," she writes in this Cognoscenti essay. Read more. |
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Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going?
Before you go: Watch WBUR host Sharon Brody's dreams come true! |
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