WBUR TODAY: Find Mass Money now finds you

 

❤️ Donate Tuesday, October 27, 2026 ☀️ Sunny, with a high of 55. Good Morning Boston, Today's the deadline in Massachusetts to request a mail-in ballot for next week's election — something state officials suggest if you want to take some time with all the ballot questions. But if you're only putting in your request now, you'll likely want to return your ballot in person, rather than putting it in the mail. Our general election voter guide has more details. But first, the news: Lost and found: The Massachusetts agency that handles unclaimed property — you've probably seen its " Find Mass Money" ads — is trying something new. Rather than asking people with unclaimed money to search an online database, it's reaching out directly. State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg's office announced yesterday that it's sending out letters to thousands of residents who unknowingly have cash they could pocket. The new program could make returning money to people easier and quicker. But it relies on a crucial element: people believing it's real. "I want to make sure that people know it's not a fraud," Goldberg told WBUR's Dan Guzman. "It's for real." How it works: Goldberg's office is using LexisNexis data to verify the identities of people with unclaimed property. Those people will then get a letter in the mail with both a QR code and unique claim ID that they can use to complete a streamlined online process. "There's no need to do a search, no need to put your name in," Goldberg said. "It will take you right to the page, ask a few questions, and — boom — we'll be able to send the check right out." What does unclaimed property look like? The list of possibilities is long. But some common types include uncashed checks, forgotten tax refunds, stock dividends, unpaid wages and more. (According to Goldberg's office, property typically becomes "unclaimed" when the owner cannot be contacted for a three-year period by the holder of the asset.) How do I know it's not a scam? Goldberg said the letters will have her office's return address and direct people to FindMassMoney.gov. What's next: Goldberg said the "Claim Mass Money" pilot is starting small with around 5,000 people matched to unclaimed property up to $2,500. But she hopes to expand it if the test run gets a good response rate. (Her office said more than 61,000 claims were eligible for the fast-track process in the last fiscal year.) "It's going to depend a lot on people believing it's real," Goldberg said. Leaving the flock: Wakefield and Quincy are joining the wave of Massachusetts communities discontinuing their use of Flock cameras. Wakefield Police Chief Steven Skory said yesterday that the town will disable and remove five Flock automatic license plate readers "as soon as possible" over residents' privacy concerns. The announcement came three days after Quincy announced the city would deactivate its Flock cameras and switch to a different ALPR vendor. Zoom out: According to the ACLU, more than 40 communities in Massachusetts have stopped using Flock over the past 18 months. A bright idea: Boston is now working to replace street lamps before they burn out. Mayor Michelle Wu said yesterday it's "the first time in Boston's history" that the city has taken this approach to its 71,000 street lights. According to Wu, Boston's Public Works Department has accelerated its replacement schedule from every 15 years to 10 years and is replacing full streets of lights when they start to dim, in addition to responding to one-off 311 requests. By the numbers: Wu said the new approach is "faster" and "saves money." Her office said the city has upgraded 7,202 street lights so far this year — nearly triple the amount in all of 2025 and the highest annual total recorded since 2016. Blaze on the border: Gov. Maura Healey is deploying the National Guard to help firefighters respond to a wildfire that has crossed the border from New York into Western Massachusetts. Healey's office said last night the fire has grown to 157 acres and reached Williamstown since it was discovered Sunday morning. Her office said the National Guard will assist by using aircrafts to help firefighters reach rocky and remote areas. According to WAMC, no homes are currently at risk. P.S.— We have clear skies for the return of "Bostonhenge" today. If you're venturing to Back Bay to capture the sunset phenomenon, WBUR photographer Jesse Costa suggests lowering (i.e darkening) the exposure on your camera or phone to get the desired effect — and also to watch out for cars. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown WEALTHY TRUMP MIKE MINOGE IS DESPERATE!  SHOOT FROM THE LIP COMMENT DEFINES HIS IGNORANCE!  MIKE MINOGUE IS AN UNINFORMED BOOB WHO'S GONNA TELL YOU  ABOUT  'AFFORDABILITY' IGNORING HEALTHCARE AND SNAP CUTS.  MIKE MINOGUE WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE STATE GAS TAX IGNORING  THAT IT FUNDS INFRASTRUCTURE!  MIKE MINOGUE IGNORED THE MBTA FAILURES CREATED BY SLOW  ZONE SHORTSLEEVE. BUT HE'S GONNA SOLVE TRAFFIC CONGESTION?  MIKE MINOGUE BABBLES ABOUT ENERGY WITH NO COMPREHENSION!  SCRUTINIZE HIS SUPERFICIAL RHETORIC!  MIKE MINOGUE BABBLED ABOUT THE COURTHOUSE, BUT WAS TOO  LAZY TO RESEARCH THE FACTS THAT ARE FULLY EXPLAINED ON  THE MASS.GOV WEB SITE! MAKE SURE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHARGES AGAINST THE  COMPANY MIKE MINOGUE SOLD! "UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY" WHAT A BOZO! State police union slams Minogue quid pro quo claim on social media Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue raised allegations about the State Police union's endorsement of Gov. Maura Healey — which the union rejected as "categorically false" and the Healey campaign called "an unhinged rant." Read more. excerpts:  "This is an unhinged rant from an unhinged, desperate candidate," Kerry Patrick Lyons, Healey campaign spokesperson, said Monday afternoon. Lyons said his response was "issued under penalty of perjury," in a nod to Minogue's statement. Murphy's statement from Sunday said the agreement provides raises totaling 11% over three years, "consistent with what other state unions received." He added, "Mr. Minogue's claim of 18% is wrong." Minogue had written in his Saturday Facebook post: "New contract 6% x 3 +18%." "The State Police spoke to that," she said. "I saw, and, look, I'm proud to have the support of law enforcement and the support of four police organizations that I've received so far in this race. That is about my work as somebody who has worked alongside and supported the men and women of law enforcement throughout my career as attorney general, and now as governor." When reporters followed up, asking if she denies that a deal was cut, Healey called the allegation "lies and nonsense." "This is just more lies and nonsense from Mike Minogue and his campaign, but I stand by the work that we've done with law enforcement," she said. Trump administration attempting to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey again The Trump administration is attempting to prosecute James Comey for what it calls a decade-old leak of classified information. Comey's lawyers immediately dismissed the effort as invalid and outside the time limit. Read more. Regulators consider allowing out-of-state medical marijuana users to buy in Mass. The proposal would let adults diagnosed with a "debilitating medical condition" by a certified healthcare provider in Massachusetts register to purchase medical marijuana — regardless of what state they live in. Massachusetts and Vermont are the only New England states that don't allow non-residents to access medical marijuana. Read more. Mass. agrees to pay $10 million settlement in the death of 14-year-old David Almond The settlement agreement was announced six years to the day after 14-year-old died of starvation and neglect after being found in a Fall River apartment. His death prompted an "incredibly damning" report and "sweeping changes" at agencies serving children. Read more. Trump administration to exempt Canadian products used by Maine farmers from tariffs amid close Senate race This is the second time in less than two months that Sen. Susan Collins has claimed credit for negotiating tariffs carve-outs amid President Trump's trade war with Canada. The announcement immediately became fodder for Maine's closely watched U.S. Senate race, as Democrats accused Collins of seeking to mitigate economic damage that she helped to cause. Read more. Anything Else? A new report from the University of Vermont says the Green Mountain State is not the climate refuge it has long been considered, as it warms faster than the global average. Is 2026 the "fakest" year in music ever? From an indie darling getting called a "psyop" to plagiarism allegations against a rising pop star, NPR reports that this year has been an especially fraught time to bicker about authenticity in the music industry. Two New England-set suspense novels coming out this fall offer intriguing setups, but are undercut by "under-executed plots and thinly sketched characters," reviews critic Carol Iaciofano Aucoin. Jay-Z will officially headline the next Super Bowl halftime show. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he asked Jay-Z to take the stage "whenever the moment felt right," after the league first reached a deal in 2019 with the rap mogul's production company Roc Nation to produce the Super Bowl halftime show. And apparently, that moment is this February in Southern California. What We're Reading 📚 Did State Police really need to pursue a suspect up I-93 and endanger everyone else on the road? (The Boston Globe) What really delays home construction in America (Washington Post) How Trump Gave the Worst Polluters a Free Pass (The New York Times) Meet the 2026 Makers Christian Hernán De Restrepo creates new worlds with his designs The Boston-based artist envisions life in Latin America if Spanish colonization had never happened with his project “A Él Mismo." It’s a love letter — to himself, his heritage and his family. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: "I hope they all brought Ibuprofen." Beware: There have been fraudulent interview invitations using WBUR shows and names that include requests for payment or fake donations. Learn more about the scam and how to protect yourself. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings. 📱 Download the WBUR App for iPhones and iPads or Android devices.              Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright © 2026 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.