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By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan

04/04/2017

Donor Gods | Weed whacked | Lord of the Mammoths

Immigration enforcement

Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy holds a forum exploring state and federal tensions in immigration enforcement, with a keynote from former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Boston College Law School, East Wing 1210, 885 Centre St., Newton, 8:30 a.m.

SJC hearings

Supreme Judicial Court hears Commonwealth v. Sreynoun Lunn, which could touch upon the issue of whether the state can arrest and hold someone on an ICE detainer request, John Adams Courthouse, Courtroom One, Second Floor, Pemberton Square, 9 a.m.

Geofencing

Attorney General Maura Healey and Facebook host a panel discussion on the benefits and boundaries of geofencing, One Broadway, Cambridge, 10 a.m.

Boston Educators Collaborative

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh joins representatives from Boston's district, charter and Catholic schools to announce an initiative called the Boston Educators Collaborative, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission Grammar School, 94 St. Alphonsus St., Boston, 10:30 a.m.

Agriculture Day

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, and Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux gather for Massachusetts Agriculture Day at the State House, Great Hall, 10:45 a.m.

Bump to testify

Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight meets with Auditor Suzanne Bump slated to testify on behalf of two bills she filed, Room A-2, 11 a.m.

Teaching World War I

The Pioneer Institute has helped organize a seminar on educating students about how America’s entry into World War I elevated the nation’s role on the world stage, with David Kennedy, a Stanford University professor and Pulitzer Prize winner, among those expected to speak, Edward M. Kennedy Institute, 210 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, 12:30 p.m.

Labor and Workforce Development Committee

The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development begins hearing testimony on bills including the so-called Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Hearing Room A-1, 1 p.m.

Equal Pay Day

Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are scheduled to speak at the Women's Caucus Equal Pay Day event, State House Library, Room 341, 1 p.m.

Prevention of Cruelty to Children dinner

Gov. Baker, First Lady Lauren Baker and Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders attend the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's annual dinner, Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Ave., Boston, 7 p.m.

Today's News

Report: Goldberg to get weed whacked by lawmakers

It’s not over till it’s over. But it sure looks like Treasurer Deb Goldberg is going to get shoved aside when it comes to overseeing the state’s new legalized marijuana industry, reports the Globe’s Joshua Miller, who notes lawmakers are looking at establishing an independent commission to handle all things marijuana. An interesting tidbit: Rep. Mark J. Cusack, House chair of the joint marijuana committee, has written a letter to the Baker administration asking that it hold off distributing money to Goldberg’s office to oversee marijuana regulation – and the administration appears to be complying. Fyi: Gov. Baker today meets with Goldberg for their regular monthly meeting. To be a fly on the wall during that powwow.

Boston Globe

State agriculture commissioner: I need money to regulate pot pesticides

Speaking of pot: Everywhere you turn, it seems someone needs money or new legislation to deal with legalized marijuana. The latest example: Agriculture Commissioner John Lebeaux, who says he needs money to regulate the use of pesticides by those growing pot, reports Shira Schoenberg at MassLive. "I think my folks would need some help to adequately manage this process," Lebeaux told the Legislature's Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy. "I can't in good conscience say we could just absorb it and continue to do all the things we do."

Meanwhile, Secretary of State William Galvin's office says lawmakers need to make the process for cities and towns to opt out of hosting marijuana businesses easier to follow, reports SHNS’s Colin Young at the Recorder.

MassLive

Amherst College embraces its inner Mammoth

It took more than a year, but Amherst College has chosen its first official sports mascot: The Mammoths. Alban Murtishi of MassLive reports the nickname was chosen through an online vote and a multi-step process that began with the school distancing itself from its namesake and unofficial mascot—Lord Jeffery Amherst—after students protested his involvement with settlers’ efforts to use smallpox against American Indian tribes. Why mammoths? The liberal arts college has displayed a full mammoth skeleton on campus since the 1920s.

MassLive

Diehl awaits sign from donor heaven before challenging Warren

State Rep. Geoff Diehl, a conservative Republican and big Donald Trump fan, is setting up a federal fundraising account as a way to gauge how much support he might receive if he ultimately decides to challenge U.S Sen. Elizabeth Warren next year, reports the Herald’s Matt Stout. Diehl want to make clear: It’s merely an “exploratory” move, not a definitive move, toward an official candidacy.

Boston Herald

Warren to give commencement address at UMass-Amherst

Speaking of Elizabeth Warren, the state’s senior senator will give the keynote address at the undergraduate commencement ceremony at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Friday, May 12 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The ceremony begins at 4:30 p.m., UMass-Amherst announced yesterday.

UMass-Amherst

Baker to honor Cellucci with new leadership award

From the Globe’s Frank Phillips: “Governor Charlie Baker, who looked to Paul Cellucci as a mentor, will now honor the late former governor by creating a state public service award in his name."

Boston Globe

Is Walsh beefing up for higher office?

Mayor Marty Walsh is bringing in all sorts of former Clinton and Obama campaign officials to help win re-election this year. But is it a case of overkill against a not-so-mighty mayoral foe (i.e. Tito Jackson) or is Walsh actually setting his sights on post-election higher offices? The Globe’s Meghan Irons explores all the who, why and when possibilities.

Of course, all politics is local, no matter how many big-shot staffers you have on your campaign committee, so Walsh is going to have to take quite seriously the mother of a shot child who’s accusing Walsh of being a "liar," as the Herald is reporting today.

Boston Globe

Cambridge’s vote heard round the world

Whether you consider it serious, symbolic or silly, it’s still amazing how much attention the Cambridge City Council’s Trump-impeachment vote is getting, from Washington’s The Hill to the UK’s Independent. Of course, there’s loads of local attention too at WCVB and NECN and elsewhere.

Amid sanctuary uproar, SJC to hear ICE case

As some Bay State cities dig in to do battle with federal agencies over immigration policies, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments today in a case that could decide whether local authorities can detain someone at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, Milton Valencia reports in the Globe.

Cage match: Hodgson, Curtatone to square off over immigration

Speaking of sanctuary-city uproars: Sure, Barney Frank and other notables will be there. But the real attraction at a UMass Law School symposium on Thursday will be Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, in one corner, and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, in another corner, and they’ll be discussing immigration. Hodgson has called for Curtatone’s arrest over his handling of sanctuary-city matters, while Curtatone has called Hodgson a "jack-booted thug,” as reported by SHNS’s Katie Lannan at the Herald News. It should be an intellectually stimulating symposium.

Herald News

Supporters fear Motley is taking the fall for others

From the Globe’s Laura Krantz: “At UMass Boston, where officials are grappling with overdue construction projects, declining enrollment, and a looming $30 million deficit, there is frustration — particularly among black faculty — that chancellor J. Keith Motley is receiving too much blame for the campus’s problems.”

Motley obviously deserves some, if not most, of the blame. He was in charge. Period. But as Joan Vennochi has asked: “What did Marty Meehan know about the fiscal crisis at UMass Boston, when did he know it and — as president of the entire University of Massachusetts system — what did he do about it?” In other words, the overseers were supposed to oversee. Period.

Boston Globe

Arroyo: I shall return

Suspended Suffolk County Register of Probate Felix Arroyo, still maintaining that his court office is stuffed with racist saboteurs, is vowing to return to his job and knock heads, the Herald’s Jack Encarnacao reports. “I have a message to those who have participated in these acts of racism, sexism and sabotage,” Arroyo said. “Everyone must be held accountable for their actions, and when I return I will do all in my power to ensure you are held accountable for yours.”

Boston Herald

Bump finds $193M in ‘improper or questionable’ MassHealth payments

From the BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett: “The state has been double-paying for behavioral health services for MassHealth members, resulting in $193 million in improper or questionable payments to providers throughout the state. The findings come from Auditor Suzanne Bump’s office, which issued a report on Monday calling for the state medical insurance program to change its billings and claims process to prevent any future improper payments and recoup money improperly given out.” MassHealth officials are vehemently disputing Bump's conclusions, according to published reports.

BBJ

Hate to break it to you, Massachusetts, but the Kennedys are not that popular

Taking note of all the younger-generation Kennedys making moves for elected (or higher) offices around the country, the Globe’s Joan Vennochi says that the Kennedy political brand is “more local than locals want to believe” and that the younger Kennedys still have to prove themselves.

Boston Globe

Massachusetts inches closer to meeting 2020 greenhouse-gas goals

From SHNS’s Michael Norton at Wicked Local: “Greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts decreased from 2013 to 2014, continuing a decade-long trend, according to the latest state data. State law requires emissions by 2020 that are 25 percent lower than 1990 levels, and emissions in 2014 were 21 percent below 1990 levels, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.”

Wicked Local

Gonzalez: Baker is no Trump Nemesis in Chief

Democrats obviously plan to tie Republican Gov. Charlie Baker as much as possible to Donald Trump during next year’s gubernatorial race. But Dem hopeful Jay Gonzalez is taking it a step further, almost defining the job as being opposed to Trump. "Particularly now, with Donald Trump as our president, who's threatening our values and threatening to take us backwards and threatening people generally, it's really important that we've got a governor who's setting the right tone on those issues," said Gonzalez, reports Dan Glaun at MassLive. "(Baker) is not a leader on these issues and in my view not advocating forcefully enough."

MassLive

The Ride may swerve around T’s budget axe

Following an outcry from elderly and disabled users of the The Ride, the MBTA looks to be poised to spare the service from cuts meant to help balance the agency’s budget, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth Magazine reports. Instead, the T is likely to look at cheaper alternatives to providing the same para-transit services, including using private transportation offerings such as Uber or Lyft.

CommonWealth

Chinese take a bow and thank T for $815M in contracts

Chinese officials were in town yesterday showing off their new subway cars for the T and, it should be added, expressing gratitude for the $815 million in contracts the MBTA is paying their company to build the cars, as CommonWealth’s Bruce Mohl reports. If they run as good as they look, the cars should provide a huge boost to T service.

CommonWealth

Supreme ruling sparks hope for tribe’s Taunton casino

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered some good news to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe’s stalled First Light casino when it declined to take up a lower court’s ruling that affirmed the federal government’s power to place land into trust on behalf of Native American tribes, Rebecca Hyman of the Taunton Gazette reports. The tribe said the decision “blazes a trail forward” for the Taunton project, though significant legal hurdles remain.

Taunton Gazette

Baker orders flags to half-staff to honor late Sen. Donnelly

In honor of the late state Sen. Ken Donnelly, who died over the weekend after a long battle with a brain tumor, Gov. Baker has ordered the US and state flags on all state buildings to fly at half-staff until the day of Donnelly’s internment, reports MassLive.

MassLive

‘America and warfare were never the same’

This week marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I. The Washington Post this morning has a good story about what it all meant to the country, the world, and one American soldier and a nurse who both served in France and later married.

And don’t forget the Pioneer Institute’s ‘Teaching the Frist World War in Schools’ forum today at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, at 12:30 p.m., featuring David Kennedy, professor emeritus at Stanford University and Pulitzer Prize winner, and other noted scholars.

Washington Post

Today's Headlines Metro

Northeastern opens new $225 million engineering complex in Boston - Boston Business Journal

Yet another potential candidate emerges for Roxbury council seat - Universal Hub

Another hit for cabbies: City says no to payment app - Boston Globe

Walsh ramps up operation for re-election campaign - Boston Globe

Massachusetts

Protesters gather at Brockton City Hall to support immigrants, DuBois - Brockton Enterprise

UMass Lowell adjuncts hold forum to push pay equity - Lowell Sun

Trash hauler charged with defrauding Mass. landfill - MassLive

State mentoring award named for Cellucci - Telegram & Gazette

Natick selectmen approve Wegmans’ liquor license - MetroWest Daily News