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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday!
UP IN THE AIR AT THIS POINT — Sen. Elizabeth Warren made her first foray into the Granite State of the 2020 presidential campaign over the weekend, where she called for "systemic change" ranging from eliminating for-profit prisons and legalizing marijuana to establishing more equitable housing programs.
"We need to make change in this country. Not little bitty change. Not change at the margins. Not a nibble around the edges. Not even pass one good law here and one good law there," Warren said at Manchester Community College, in front of about 500 people, according to her campaign. "We need to make systemic change in this country."
The Massachusetts Democrat is seen as a strong contender in the Granite State's early 2020 primary, where her closest competition could be Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who won the state's 2016 Democratic primary and is weighing another run. During an hourlong Q&A Saturday, Warren highlighted issues faced by people of color, people Sanders struggled to reach in his first bid for the White House.
Sanders was the competitor on the minds of many in the crowd Saturday, several of whom told me they were deciding between the Vermont lawmaker and Warren.
"It's up in the air at this point," Concord's Megan Arsenault told me when I asked about her 2020 primary vote. Read my story here.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito meet with state Senate President Karen Spilka and state House Speaker Robert DeLeo. Polito attends a Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce Annual Mayors and Managers breakfast alongside Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera. Rep. Seth Moulton and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll are guest judges at "The Great Shake" competition at Bates Elementary School. Moulton meets with the Boston Globe editorial board. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends an EMS graduation ceremony.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Massachusetts state employee pay: Top takeaways from the 2018 data," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Which state employees earn the most money? How much overtime do state workers make? Who took buyouts last year? What do public college presidents earn? All of those answers can be found on the Massachusetts comptroller's CTHRU website, which offers nearly a decade's worth of state salary data."
- "Transit officials study East-West rail link," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: "Commuter rail passengers traveling to and from Boston at peak hours often face long waits for packed trains that can be delayed getting into the city. State transit officials say more frequent trips would ease overcrowding and improve service, but a major obstacle for service North of Boston is that the five rail lines coming from Cape Ann, the North Shore and Merrimack Valley dead end at North Station. That limits the number of trains that can move people to and from the city every day."
- "Senate president to stay away from sports betting legislation because of family conflict," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Sports betting is no longer banned in the United States, and legislation will undoubtedly follow this session on Beacon Hill, where interested companies like DraftKings are carefully watching what shape expanded gaming could take. Count Karen E. Spilka, the Senate's new president, among those being careful, too. The Ashland Democrat will not participate in any legislation specifically related to DraftKings, should any emerge, an aide said, after Spilka disclosed to state ethics regulators that her son works at the Boston-based fantasy sports company."
CHARLIE BAKER FAIL!
- "Governor Baker vetoes ban on flame retardants," by David Abel, Boston Globe: "In a blow to firefighters and environmental advocates, Governor Charlie Baker on Friday rejected a controversial bill passed by the Legislature last week that would have banned the sale of potentially toxic flame-retardant chemicals in furniture, bedding, and children's products. Fire officials and environmental advocates joined forces several years ago to support the restrictions on the flame retardants, contending that at least 10 frequently used chemicals endanger firefighters while doing little to stop fires. In a letter sent to lawmakers, Baker wrote that he would have amended the bill if it had been sent to him during a regular session of the Legislature. But because the bill was passed during an informal session, he said he was effectively forced to veto it."
- "9 years after Phoebe Prince's suicide, anti-bullying laws failing," by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: "Prince's death shook the state and prompted the state Legislature to take an unprecedented move in introducing anti-bullying law curriculum into public schools, and require discipline and reporting of incidents. A recent CDC survey suggests that nine years later, the law is failing. While 15 percent of Massachusetts' nearly 1 million K-12 students claimed they were bullied, only about 2,000 cases — reflecting less than 1 percent of the student population — are reported each year."
CHARLIE BAKER FAIL!
- "BAKER ADMIN APPROVES AIR PERMITS FOR NATURAL GAS PROJECT," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "In a decision blasted by South Shore lawmakers as reckless, irresponsible and dangerous, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration on Friday approved air quality permits for a natural gas compressor station in Weymouth, with state environmental regulators concluding the Enbridge Energy project conforms with air pollution regulations. The project will support natural gas capacity upgrades and the expansion of a gas transmission pipeline system that runs from Mahwah, New Jersey to Beverly, Massachusetts, for transportation and deliveries on the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline system. Collectively, it's referred to as the Atlantic Bridge Project, which includes the siting of the compressor station, and which received federal approval in January 2017."
- "Massachusetts pension tension: Some payouts hit $350,000," by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: "Tens of thousands of state pensions of up to $350,000 a year are straining the retirement system, forcing the Legislature to ask taxpayers for more cash to keep the system afloat. A staggering 1,000-plus retirees earned $100,000 or more in pension pay last year — with former troopers, judges, provosts and school superintendents leading the way — with the total pension-fund liability at a budget-busting $5.21 billion. It's a trend one watchdog said is heading into the danger zone."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "Boston officials propose new taxes on some real estate deals to help pay for more housing," by Milton J. Valencia and Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "In the thick of an affordable housing crisis that has taken hold across Greater Boston, city councilors have proposed levying fees on high-end real estate deals to help pay for more housing — part of a bold and controversial movement across the region to tax developers who have been profiting off of a historic building boom."
- "Walsh's State House Agenda Gives Glimpse Of State Of The City Speech," by Mike Deehan, WGBH News: "Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will give his sixth major annual speech Tuesday evening at Symphony Hall, a showcase for the second term accomplishments his administration wishes to tout, as well as a look into Walsh's future plans for Boston and Massachusetts as a whole. One of the different tones Walsh has taken in the buildup to his speech is the roll-out of an ambitious legislative agenda aimed at getting Boston's, and Walsh's, priorities passed into law on Beacon Hill."
- "Ayanna Pressley takes second oath at local swearing-in in Roxbury," by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: "Before a standing-room-only crowd in Roxbury Saturday afternoon, US Representative Ayanna Pressley took the oath of office for a second time and then led the gathering in a pledge, advancing a campaign promise to lead in partnership with voters who vaulted her to Washington. 'The work of change is collective and cooperative work, and that's why I wanted to come here and have this community swearing-in,' Pressley said after the event ."
- "New Suffolk district attorney says she will be 'smart on crime,'" by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "Suffolk County's new top prosecutor sought to reassure residents and police that her approach to criminal justice won't mean a district attorney's office that is 'soft on crime,' as she spoke Sunday morning on WCVB-TV's weekly program 'OTR: On the Record.' Rachael Rollins, a former federal prosecutor who was elected Suffolk district attorney in November on a platform of criminal justice reform, told co-hosts Ed Harding and Janet Wu that she will work with police and prosecutors to modernize their approach to prosecutions."
- "Pressley moving from Dorchester home," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "AYANNA PRESSLEY is on the move in more ways than one. Sworn in last week as the new representative for the 7th Congressional District and now dividing her time between Washington and Boston, Pressley will also be making a move within her district. Pressley has put her condominium in the Ashmont section of Dorchester on the market and is looking for larger quarters."
- "Leaders: Changed Boston reflects influence of MLK," by Taylor Pettaway and Brooks Sutherland, Boston Herald: "Hundreds gathered for an annual convocation in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 90th birthday, remembering why the civil rights leader's message still needs to be taught today and how his influence has shaped the city. Several city and state officials were present at the event, including U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, police Commissioner William Gross and several city councilors."
- "This building once served as a beacon for North End immigrants. Should it be saved?" by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "The one thing they all seem to agree on is that the North End, one of Boston's most historic and vibrant neighborhoods, needs a new community center. But the conundrum of where to put it, and more importantly what to do with the old one — a 1900s bathhouse that became a beacon for immigrants who came to define the neighborhood — has divided this close-knit community and put pressure on Mayor Martin J. Walsh's administration to resolve the disagreement."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Trump pushes his line of attack on Elizabeth Warren's heritage claims even further," by Jaclyn Reiss, Boston Globe: "President Trump pushed his line of attack on Senator Elizabeth Warren's heritage even further in a tweet on Sunday night, in what appears to be his most pointed — and cringe-worthy — hit at the Massachusetts Democrat since she formally announced she is exploring a run for president in 2020."
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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- "Washington's China hawks fear Trump will yield in trade war," by James Politi, Financial Times: "A senior Democratic lawmaker has warned the Trump administration not to settle 'easy one-off transactions' with China amid mounting signs that the US president is prepared to strike a deal with Xi Jinping by early March that would avoid a new escalation in tariffs. Richard Neal, the chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, which has oversight over US trade policy, told the Financial Times that US-China policy had to be 'in the best interests' of America 'today and for the future.'"
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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- "What's in a name: Marijuana companies hope to break through the haze," by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: "As more cannabis businesses emerge in Massachusetts, they face one of the most important tasks of starting up: choosing a name. From 2014 through November, most marijuana firms in the state were medical dispensaries that, in picking their appellations, sought to avoid stoner stereotypes and evoke professionalism and health, leading to such names as Alternative Therapies Group, New England Treatment Access, and Theory Wellness. But now that recreational sales are flowing, the market is changing. More creative names have emerged, such as The Green Lady and The Verb Is Herb."
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "Principal: Assignment 'skewed the debate' on Trump," by Mike LaBella and Paul Tennant, The Salem News: "The principal of Haverhill High School said a history assignment in which students were asked to debate whether characteristics of fascism are exhibited by President Donald Trump was more political than it should have been. The assignment, given by veteran history teacher Shaun Ashworth, triggered controversy on social media."
- "Federal oversight of nursing homes rolled back by Trump administration," by Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle: "State advocates are concerned that reduced federal regulation of nursing homes will remove incentives for facilities, including a poorly rated Williamstown nursing home, to improve the care patients receive. In addition to being regularly surveyed by the state Department of Public Health, nursing homes nationwide are monitored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Advocates and legislators worked for years to secure new protections for residents of nursing homes. The year 2016 brought national long-term care regulatory reform."
SHUTDOWN MODE
- "Food banks to discuss how to respond to federal government shutdown," by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: "The state's four largest food banks, along with two regional nonprofits, are expected to discuss Monday how to respond if the ongoing partial federal government shutdown dries up money meant to support food stamps, food banks, and other services for low-income residents. The US Department of Agriculture said in a Jan. 8 statement that its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was fully funded for this month and for February."
- "Shutdown creates uncertainty for taxpayers," by Ethan Forman, The Salem News: "Just how the shutdown, caused by the impasse between President Trump and Congress over funding for a border wall, will affect taxpayers is still uncertain. Some tax experts say the shutdown could have an impact if it stretches beyond mid-January. Others say those with tax problems now can't even get anyone at the IRS to pick up the phone. And the shutdown could not have come at a more inopportune time, as sweeping changes in tax law take effect under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act."
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| EYE ON 2020 |
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- MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: "'You couldn't spend a dime?': Jay Inslee ticks off the wrong state," by Natasha Korecki and Daniel Strauss, POLITICO: "When Washington Gov. Jay Inslee heads to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state of New Hampshire later this month to test the 2020 waters, he might want to consider adding an apology tour. Inslee's decision while he chaired the Democratic Governors Association not to invest in New Hampshire's competitive governor's race last year still burns some of the state's leading Democrats."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "BLOWOUT," "FAILING OUR KIDS," — Globe: "THE VALEDICTORIANS PROJECT," "Plan seeks high-end real estate sales fees," "SUPER-CHARGED PATRIOTS." |
| ALL ABOARD |
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- "We took a test-ride of the new Orange Line cars. Here's how they look," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "Within a few weeks, riders on the Orange Line are expected to receive a long-awaited treat: the first of the line's new subway cars will begin regular service. For now, though, the cars resemble a rolling office for a tech startup in some old factory or garage. Blue plastic sheeting is taped around the interior to protect seats and finishes, the floor is covered with brown construction paper, and on a large table in the aisle, computers have wires running every which way."
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| THE LOWELL CONNECTOR |
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- "'People can just be so cruel,'" by Rick Sobey, The Lowell Sun:"A girl who walked around laughing. Whose personality was contagious to be around. Whose smile would light up the room. It didn't add up. Itea and other family members searched for clues, for answers. Itea went in and out of Anna's room, looking for anything. Several days later, she found a letter behind a picture on Anna's wall. Anna detailed her inner pain, and wrote that she had been bullied at school."
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| FROM THE 413 |
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- "'In a glass box': Clarke School for the Deaf alumni detail decades of abuse," by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Families sent their deaf children to Clarke, a world-famous school known for its philosophy of oralism, a pedagogy in deaf education that taught oral speech and lip-reading instead of sign language. And the school often enforced that philosophy with cruelty,some alumni say."
- "Pols take their cue from students," by Joshua Solomon, Greenfield Recorder: "High school senior Augie Seuffert looked around the full circle in the school's library, seeing mostly his peers and politicians. He offered his reflection. 'I came in here thinking I was going to be talked to by a bunch of politicians on issues, and they actually asked me about the issues,' Augie said. Sitting next to the Greenfield High School senior happened to be his mother, Precinct 6 Greenfield City Councilor Sheila Gilmour — one of the politicians gathered for an afternoon centered around youth leadership, but based on giving an opportunity to just over a dozen students to exchange ideas about political and social issues with their local and state elected officials."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "Former Cape detective named to No. 2 spot with state police," by Beth Treffeisen, Cape Cod Times: "The former longtime head of the state police detectives unit assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office has been named deputy superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. Lt. Col. Christopher Mason will take over for Lt. Col. Barry O'Brien, who will retire after 32 years on the force, according to an announcement Friday. Mason, who has climbed the ranks through the years, was most recently commander of the Division of Investigative Services."
- "Attleboro hunting law up for debate after six years," by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle: "Those aiming to tighten hunting rules in Attleboro will finally get a public hearing on a law to do just that after six years of pushing for action. The hearing is slated for Feb. 5 at City Hall. The ordinance, proposed by councilors Todd Kobus and Laura Dolan, would require hunters to get written permission to hunt on private property and ban hunting on all city-owned property."
- "Resident alleges housing discrimination at Whitinsville Retirement Home," by Susan Spencer, Telegram & Gazette: "A 73-year-old Whitinsville man has sued the owners of Whitinsville Retirement Home for $1 million in U.S. District Court in Worcester, claiming they violated his civil rights by illegally pressuring him to leave the home on the basis of disability and religion, among other actions. The case, brought under the federal Fair Housing Act, state anti-discrimination laws and other laws, raises broader issues of what protections seniors have in private group housing that isn't regulated by health care or elder service agencies."
TRANSITIONS - Michael Bentley, the Boston Globe's vice president for advertising, left the paper.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to University of Cincinnati pitcher and Ohio's #1 Massachusetts Playbook fan Nick Murray.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes!! The Patriots beat the Chargers 41-28.
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