What's ahead in state government this week
Guv to drop daughter at college; Annual state tomato contest; They're STILL talking about the Olympics
The demise of the Boston Olympics bid was taken in stride by top elected officials in Massachusetts. Next week, Bay State residents will get a look at the costs and benefits of a 2024 summer Olympics that is now off the table. When the bid was still alive, Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic legislative leaders hired The Brattle Group to scrub the proposal and Baker said this week that their review will be released next week. Bid proponents had described the plan as the state's largest economic development project, an opportunity to expedite development that might otherwise take decades. Critics and skeptics of the Olympics bid, who ultimately prevailed, worried about taxpayers being left on the hook for potential cost overruns. The Brattle Group report lacks the high-stakes tag once attached to it but will at a minimum reflect what Massachusetts passed on, at least in through the eyes of one consultancy.
-- Public safety officials are dealing this week with a spate of deadly violence that has police and city residents on high alert. Five people were killed in shootings Wednesday night and Thursday in Boston, Cambridge and Everett. According to media reports, no arrests have been made.
-- President Barack Obama and his family plan to enjoy the second week of their Martha's Vineyard vacation. Obama has been spending much of his time on the island golfing.
-- The new Boston Public Market on Thursday hosts the state's annual tomato-growing contest, an event that state agriculture officials hope will draw attention to locally grown produce.
-- After a debate that drew strong ratings, some of the Republican presidential candidates are due to gather next week in Londonderry, New Hampshire for a forum on education.
-- Immigrants opposed to certain federal policies plan to rally outside the State House next week. Also, Pew Charitable Trusts plans to release a report on an issue lawmakers across the country are struggling with - whether to issue driver's licenses to unauthorized immigrants.
SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 2015
BAKERS GO TO NEW YORK: Gov. Charlie Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker will travel to New York to attend a personal event. The Bakers will return to Massachusetts on Sunday. (Saturday)
SUNDAY, AUG. 16, 2015
ROSENBERG IN DELAWARE AT 'COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS' FORUM: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will attend from Saturday (Aug. 15) through Wednesday (Aug. 19) the 55th annual meeting and regional policy forum of the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference. Conference details: http://www.cvent.com/events/csg-eastern-regional-conference-55th-annual-meeting-regional-policy-forum/event-summary-067cca69c6914e58af8b395986e39203.aspx (Saturday thruWednesday, Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison St., Wilmington, Del.)
BOSTON NAACP PRESIDENT ON KELLER: Michael Curry, Boston NAACP president, sits down with Jon Keller to discuss the recent spate of gun crime in the city, police-community cooperation, the Black Lives Matter protests, and progress in the civil rights movement. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
STEVE CROSBY 'ON THE RECORD': Mass. Gaming Commission Chair Steve Crosby will be "On The Record" with Janet Wu to talk about Mayor Walsh and Steve Wynn, a Charlestown referendum, and the Aquinnah Wampanoags. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
DELEGATION TO US-SWISS ENERGY MEETING
Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Pacheco will head to Zurich, Switzerland, next week leading a delegation of energy experts from Massachusetts to the Swiss-U.S. Energy Innovation Days. The gathering will focus on integrated building systems, research and economic opportunities, and participants will be invited to make policy recommendations to the United States and Swiss governments. The Taunton Democrat is chairman of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change and the Senate this year passed legislation he drafted that would require the state to develop a comprehensive climate management plan, and then require state agencies to adhere to the plan as best as possible when issuing permits. The trip will include a tour around the Alpine country looking at "the sustainable transformation of building stock, shared-use facilities, zero-emission mobility and the interrelations between energy and urban systems." Participants will visit the University of Lucerne, the Suurstoffi urban development site, Swiss Federal Laboratories in Dübendorf and IBM Research in Rüschlikon. Pacheco will be joined by Molly McClusky, a member of the Board of Governors of the National Press Club; Tina Casey, senior reporter for Sustainable Enterprises Media; Evan Birenbaum of VerdeXchange; Benjamin Franta and David Pastor of Harvard University; Elias Hinckley of Sullivan & Worcester LLP; Dr. Gami Maislin of Maislin Systems Consulting; Emily Reichert of Greentown Labs; and Julianna Zimmermann, co-founder of Vodia Ventures. The conference begins Sunday and will conclude Friday with speeches by Swiss Federal Councilor and Minister of Energy Doris Leuthard and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Suzan LeVine. Pacheco plans to conduct follow-up meetings Friday and Saturday. The senator plans to attend a reception by the ambassador in Bern on Monday, and he plans to visit the Grimsel Hoover Dam, Lucerne University's iHomeLab Think Tank and Research Center for Building Intelligence, and Siemens Schweiz AG.
Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Pacheco will head to Zurich, Switzerland, next week leading a delegation of energy experts from Massachusetts to the Swiss-U.S. Energy Innovation Days. The gathering will focus on integrated building systems, research and economic opportunities, and participants will be invited to make policy recommendations to the United States and Swiss governments. The Taunton Democrat is chairman of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change and the Senate this year passed legislation he drafted that would require the state to develop a comprehensive climate management plan, and then require state agencies to adhere to the plan as best as possible when issuing permits. The trip will include a tour around the Alpine country looking at "the sustainable transformation of building stock, shared-use facilities, zero-emission mobility and the interrelations between energy and urban systems." Participants will visit the University of Lucerne, the Suurstoffi urban development site, Swiss Federal Laboratories in Dübendorf and IBM Research in Rüschlikon. Pacheco will be joined by Molly McClusky, a member of the Board of Governors of the National Press Club; Tina Casey, senior reporter for Sustainable Enterprises Media; Evan Birenbaum of VerdeXchange; Benjamin Franta and David Pastor of Harvard University; Elias Hinckley of Sullivan & Worcester LLP; Dr. Gami Maislin of Maislin Systems Consulting; Emily Reichert of Greentown Labs; and Julianna Zimmermann, co-founder of Vodia Ventures. The conference begins Sunday and will conclude Friday with speeches by Swiss Federal Councilor and Minister of Energy Doris Leuthard and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Suzan LeVine. Pacheco plans to conduct follow-up meetings Friday and Saturday. The senator plans to attend a reception by the ambassador in Bern on Monday, and he plans to visit the Grimsel Hoover Dam, Lucerne University's iHomeLab Think Tank and Research Center for Building Intelligence, and Siemens Schweiz AG.
MONDAY, AUG. 17, 2015
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 18, 2015
MOULTON DISTRICT TOUR: Freshman U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton will make the first of five stops on his "Congress on Your Corner" tour of the 6th District. He will speak with constituents and his staff will be available to help solve constituent problems with federal agencies. (Tuesday, 4:45 p.m., Reading Town Hall, 16 Lowell St., Reading)
TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE ADVISORY BOARD: The Brockton Advisory Board of the Department of Transitional Assistance will convene for a meeting to receive an update from the director of the department and to set future meeting agendas. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Brockton Transitional Assistance Office, 60 Main St., Brockton)
MUNICIPAL AGGREGATION PLAN: The Department of Public Utilities holds a public hearing on a petition from the towns of Burlington, Holliston, Monterey, Haverhill and Auburn for approval of a Municipal Aggregation Plan. (Monday, 2 p.m., Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, 5th floor, Boston)
AUTO REINSURERS: Private passenger claims performance will be the subject of a meeting of the Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers Claims Performance Standards subcommittee. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 225 Franklin St., Boston)
BOARD OF RESPIRATORY CARE: The Board of Respiratory Care's agenda includes discussion on posting a survey result on CPAP/BiPAP administration in the home care setting, and discussion on a draft Probation Policy and a draft Valor Act Policy. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 239 Causeway St., Room 417, Boston)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY ADVISORY COUNCIL: Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson chairs a monthly meeting of the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 100 Cambridge St., 2nd floor, Boston)
ASIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP: Top housing and development officials will speak at a village dedication ceremony held by the Asian Community Development Corporation, which builds and preserves affordable housing where Asian Americans live. Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay and MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones will speak. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 339 Tremont St, Boston)
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 2015
OFF TO COLLEGE: Gov. Charlie Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker will travel to Ohio to drop off their daughter, Caroline, to start her freshman year of college at Miami University of Ohio. The governor and first lady will return to Massachusetts Thursday. (Wednesday)
CHICOPEE COMMUNITY COMPACT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos plan to attend a community compact signing at Chicopee City Hall. (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., 17 Springfield St., Chicopee)
POLITO AT LATINO PICNIC: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will take part in Holyoke's 7th annual Latino Community Picnic. (Wednesday,12:30 p.m., Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton St., Holyoke)
WEST SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY COMPACT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan plan to attend a community compact signing. (Wednesday, 1:45 p.m., J. Edward Christian Municipal Office Building, 26 Central St., West Springfield)
CLAMBAKE FOR THE LG: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will attend Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe's annual clambake. (Wednesday,4:30 p.m., Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, 440 Tiffany St., Springfield)
MOULTON DISTRICT TOUR: Freshman U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton will make the second of five stops on his "Congress on Your Corner" tour of the 6th District. He will speak with constituents and his staff will be available to help solve constituent problems with federal agencies. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Greater Lynn Senior Services, 8 Silsbee St., Lynn)
IMMIGRANTS RALLY ON STATE HOUSE STEPS: Centro Presente will hold a "public action" to highlight and publicize "the disconnect between what ICE says their policies are and the reality (their) community is experiencing." They want to "emphasize that the deportation machine is still active and functioning with the new Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) as the tool to continue criminalizing (their) communities." (Wednesday, 11 a.m., front of the State House)
MOULTON DISTRICT TOUR: U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton will make the third of five stops on his "Congress on Your Corner" tour of the 6th District. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Harbor Cafe, 125 Liberty St., Danvers)
GOP PREZ CANDIDATES EDUCATION SUMMIT: Republican presidential candidates plan to attend the 2015 New Hampshire Education Summit at Londonderry High School. The event is sponsored by The Seventy Four, an "online education newsroom," and the American Federation for Children. Organizers plan to stream the summit at www.the74million.org. Registration:http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-education-summit-new-hampshire-registration-17935434367 (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 295 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, N.H.)
REGULATORY LISTENING SESSION: The Department of Telecommunications and Cable holds a public listening session to solicit ideas and suggestions regarding potential revisions to the department's regulations. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 1000 Washington St., Room 1-E, Boston)
FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE: The State Finance and Governance Board meets to review derivative transactions related to college opportunity bonds and MassDevelopment: Preparatory Foundation, Inc. (Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., Room 373, State House)
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 2015
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.
JULY JOBS DATA: The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development plans to release the preliminary July 2015 and revised June 2015 unemployment rates, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts on Thursday morning.
ANNUAL STATE TOMATO CONTEST: In its 31st year, the Massachusetts Tomato Contest will be held at a new site - the demonstration kitchen of the recently-opened Boston Public Market in Haymarket Square. Tomatoes will be judged by a panel of experts on flavor, firmness/slicing quality, exterior color and shape. Farmers can submit entries at the market between 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Thursday or drop off their entries with registration to locations around the state on Aug. 19. The contest, designed to increase awareness of locally-grown produce, is sponsored by the Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources, New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association, and Mass Farmers Markets in cooperation with the Boston Public Market and The Trustees of Reservations. Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux will attend. Details:http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/markets/farmers-markets/tomato-contest.html (Thursday, judging at 11 a.m., awards presentation at 1 p.m., 100 Hanover St., Boston)
NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATORS: The Board of Registration of Nursing Home Administrators will meet to consider one application for licensure and to review the progress of administrators in training. The board will also receive a presentation on best practices for email content marketing. (Thursday, 10 a.m., 239 Causeway St., 4th floor, Room 417A, Boston)
CHARLES RIVER WATER CHESTNUTS: The Charles River Watershed Association will be joined by Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Carol Sanchez to celebrate the third year of a partnership to remove invasive water chestnut plants from the Charles River. (Thursday, 10 a.m., across from Charlesbank Apartments, 56 Charles River Road, Waltham)
MYSTIC RIVER WATER CHESTNUTS: The Mystic River Watershed Association will be joined by Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Carol Sanchez to celebrate the third year of a partnership to remove invasive water chestnut plants from the Mystic River. (Thursday, 1 p.m., Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, 32 Shore Dr., Somerville)
FALMOUTH MARRIOTT HEARING: The Cape Cod Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider limited Development of Regional Impact approval for a 110-room Springhill Suites by Marriott hotel project in Falmouth. (Thursday, 3 p.m., First District Courthouse, Assembly of Delegates Chambers, Route 6A, Barnstable)
TELECOMM DEPT. INFO SESSION: The Department of Telecommunications and Cable will explain its role in overseeing the telecommunication and cable industries and will discuss the rights of consumers at an information session. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Marlboro Senior Center, 40 New St., Marlboro)
PRESIDENTIAL GENDER-WATCH CALL: Former U.S. Sens. Carol Mosely Braun, an Illinois Democrat, and Patricia Schroeder, a Colorado Democrat will join Republican politicos Kathleen Harrington and Leslie Sanchez for a "presidential gender watch" conference call. The call is hosted by the The Barbara Lee Family Foundation and the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Both parties have exactly one woman among the top tier of candidates running for president in 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton, the country's former top diplomat, a former senator and the former first lady, has received flack for decades. Republican Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, has sparred with Republican poll-leader Donald Trump over his comments regarding women. If either Fiorina or Clinton won, she would become the first woman president in the nation's history. Women only gained the right to vote in the 20th century. Two of the four women on the call have experience running for president themselves. Schroeder ran in 1988; Moseley Braun ran in 2004. Harrington was deputy campaign manager to former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who ran for president in 2000. In addition to mounting her own campaign, Dole would have had a front-row seat to her husband former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole's presidential runs. Sanchez is a Republican strategist and the author of "You've Come a Long Way, Maybe: Sarah, Hillary and the Shaping of the New American Woman. (Thursday, 12 p.m., Dial-in: 877-741-7106)
JAY ASH IN ATTLEBORO: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new Doctors Express location. The business says it "provides high-quality, urgent care right in your neighborhood." (Thursday, 4 p.m., 380R Merrimack St, Attleboro)
FRIDAY, AUG. 21, 2015
AIR FORCE SEC. AT HANSCOM: Gov. Charlie Baker will meet with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. Earlier this month, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. John Thompson, who commands the "total life cycle management of Air Force weapon systems," met at the State House with Baker and other state officials. (CLOSED PRESS) (Friday, 11 a.m., Hanscom Air Force Base, 200 Hanscom Dr., Bedford)
GUV GREETS INTERNATIONAL VISITORS: Gov. Charlie Baker will visit Logan International Airport to attend an event hosted by Massport to recognize international visitors. (Friday, 2:30 p.m., Harborside Hyatt, Logan International Airport, 101 Harborside Dr., Boston)
LG AT WORCESTER ITALIAN FEST: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito plans to attend the annual Italian Festival at Worcester's Our Lady of Mount Carmel church. (Friday, 5:30 p.m., Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 28 Mulberry St., Worcester)
CATASTROPHIC ILLNESS IN CHILDREN: The Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission meets to receive an update on commission staffing and to consider requests from individual families. (Friday, 1:30 p.m., Department of Public Health, 250 Washington St., Lobby 1 conference room, Boston)
TEMPORARY NURSING SERVICES: Amendments to the regulations governing temporary nursing services will be the focus of a public hearing held by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The amendments would update the maximum rates hospitals and nursing agencies may pay for temporary nursing services, as required by state law. (Friday, 10 a.m., 600 Washington St., 4th floor, Room 4068, Boston)
SATURDAY, AUG. 22, 2015
GUANGXI CHAMBER: Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nam Pham will attend the New England Guangxi Chamber of Commerce Meeting. The chamber is a non-profit with about 200 small business owners as its members. (Saturday, 11 a.m., Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, 1600 Crown Colony Dr, Quincy)
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