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6sports

Hall of Fame QB sees a future for Bailey Zappe

FOXBOROUGH - Kurt Warner knows about rejection, and the self-doubt that creeps in when it appears a career in the NFL might not be in the cards. Given his rags to riches story, going undrafted in 1994, being released by the Green Bay Packers after training camp, playing in the Arena Football League, then going on to have a Hall of Fame career in the NFL, it’s no wonder countless quarterbacks reach out to Warner seeking guidance and advice. Mostly, they want reassurance that they belong. That it’s not time to cash it in. Back in August, Bailey Zappe was one of those quarterbacks. He reached out to Warner right after he got cut by the Patriots after training camp. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. At the time, it was a tough pill for Zappe to swallow, especially after performing well in relief in 2022, winning two games as a starter, and inspiring a wave of Zappe Fever throughout New England and beyond. The fourth-round pick basically went from being a rookie quarterback who captured the imagination of the fandom, to a Patriots discard in the blink of an eye. That’s why Zappe reached out to Warner, whom he met at the NFL’s scouting combine in 2021. Given the former Super Bowl winner didn’t have the easiest road to the NFL, Zappe needed some counsel. Reached by MassLive Wednesday, Warner, who provided commentary of the game on the NFL Network’s Christmas Eve broadcast, offered a little more background, but also assessed where he sees Zappe at this stage. He said he doesn’t usually reveal the personal exchanges he has with other players, but given the positive message it would inspire, felt compelled to share the Zappe story with the audience Sunday night. “He was wondering ‘Do I belong? Do I fit in? Am I good enough?’” Warner said of Zappe’s initial text. “And through believing in himself and getting the opportunity, now he sits in a place where he’s playing as well as he’s played in the league. He’s confident, and he’s winning prime-time games. That’s why I thought it was a cool story to share. Because I know in that kind of moment, there’s a lot of people wondering that same kind of thing, athletes or non-athletes alike. “I’ve had so many people inspired by my story,” Warner went on. “I thought here’s an opportunity to let people be inspired by his story. That’s why I shared it on air.” Speaking with Zappe on Wednesday, while their communication was via text - the two couldn’t seem to find the time to hook up on the phone - he was still appreciative of the message delivered back then. “I think the biggest thing when you go through those things is understanding why you started. Everybody always says, what’s your why? Like why did you first start with football?” Zappe said. “To be honest, that was one of the moments where I had to sit down and be like, ‘Why do I still want to play football?’ And the answer was I love it. I don’t want this to be the end, so I’m going to go to work every single day and make sure this is not my end. I’m going to have a future.” And Warner believes Zappe does have a future in the NFL. At this stage, however, the Patriots quarterback is still trying to prove where he fits in the pecking order, be it as a starter, or a solid No. 2. “I don’t know where he belongs, either, and I don’t think we have to rush to judgment on where these guys belong,” Warner said. “I think with Bailey, his physical skill set, that’s kind of the one thing you say to yourself: ‘Can he carry a team with his physical skill set?’ Because that’s what truly separates the starter from the backup. Can he be that guy every time out that if he has to throw the ball, can he win games for you? That to me is a starting quarterback in the league. “And right now, I think Bailey’s done enough to say, ‘I belong.’ Now, give me a shot to see where I belong. Give me a shot to see if I can be that guy, or not.” Warner doesn’t necessarily believe a quarterback has to have a cannon for an arm. It’s all about making the throws when needed. Right now, that’s an unanswered question with respect to Zappe. It also applies to Mac Jones. “In this league, you have to be able to make certain throws when everything’s not perfect around you,” the NFL Network analyst said. “You have to be able to carry a team, making those special plays, making those tough throws when the tough throws are there. “That to me, is the only question with Bailey,” Warner said. “I think he’s really smart. He knows what he’s seeing. He knows how to play the game. The only question I have is his skillset at a level where he can elevate his team, and make those throws consistently at this level. If you can, then I believe you have the ability to be a starter in the National Football League. If you can’t, then those guys are relegated to really good backups, who can come in and give you what you need for a game or two, but probably won’t be able to carry you week in and week out.” Zappe will be making his fifth straight start on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. He’s won two of his previous four starts, engineering a game-winning drive in the final minute to help take down the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve. Connecting with DeVante Parker (27 yards), Ezekiel Elliott (five yards), and Mike Gesicki (four yards) to move the ball into field goal range, avoiding the rush to execute those plays when called upon, was impressive. While the Patriots primarily used the run game to start the game-winning drive, Zappe still had to deliver on third down, and beyond. Warner loved seeing it, but also cautioned that Zappe has to continue to make those kinds of plays to pull out games whenever the need arises. “That’s what we’re looking for. Even if you’re the Patriots who play great defense and run the football, you still want Tom Brady, you still want that guy to be able to give you that something extra,” said Warner. “And I think that’s the only question. Those are the questions we continue to ask with a lot of young guys. Right now, we’re asking it with (49ers quarterback) Brock Purdy as well. Does he have that skill set to carry a team if he doesn’t have great players around him, or when he has to throw the ball 40 times to win?” Zappe has certainly come a long way since the Patriots cut him and also had him inactive in favor of Malik Cunningham, who was Mac Jones’ backup against the Las Vegas Raiders early in the season. While he didn’t exactly flourish coming on in relief of Jones several times, Zappe has done much more since being handed the baton as the starter. “When guys have bad outings, or find themselves on the bench, all those things, I’ve been through the gamut, so I’ve had a lot of people reach out over the years just about those different moments, how you work yourself through those moments, and how you continue to have confidence and belief in yourself even in those moments,” said Warner. “We never were able to get on the phone, but I shot him a quick text. And he’s found his way through it. I’ve watched him since he’s been in there, and I’ve watched him gain more confidence every week.” And, he watched Zappe rebound after fumbling on the very first play from scrimmage against the Broncos. Warner is well aware of the premium Bill Belichick places on not turning the ball over, and how that’s the quickest way to the bench. While Zappe has had a few turnovers in his recent games, he hasn’t been deterred. He hasn’t let the mistakes repeat, or impact him negatively. Warner believes that game-winning drive against the Broncos was important for the second-year quarterback, but even more important for the coaching staff, and players around him. “In my case, it was more important for everyone else than it was for me. I never questioned if I could do it. I never questioned whether I could do it. I knew what I was capable of. But I thought it was important for my teammates to see it,” Warner said. “It was important for them to know he’s not only good the first 57 minutes. He’s really good the last three minutes ... We can trust him with the ball in his hands when we need a drive, or we need a play. “That to me, is what’s so important about those moments in those drives. For everybody else to realize who you are, what you’re capable of, and build that trust in you to be the guy when you need to be the guy.” In a nutshell, that was Warner’s message to Zappe months ago. That he was still capable of playing in the NFL, he just needed to show it, prove it, when given the opportunity. NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses.

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1crime

Paula Welden went missing in Vermont in 1946; Her case remains cold 77 years later

On Sunday, Dec. 1, 1946, Paul Welden left her college campus in Vermont, telling her roommate she was going for a hike. She never returned. Nearly 80 years later, the disappearance of the 18-year-old Bennington College student, which directly led to the formation of the Vermont State Police in 1947, remains unsolved. At the time of Welden’s disappearance, the struggle to find her showed a desperate need for a dedicated law enforcement agency to investigate missing people in Vermont. Investigators from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York were all called in due to the limited police services available in the Green Mountain State. A year later, the Vermont State Police was formed. Read more: Killing of Beverly Polchies in Maine remains unsolved nearly 40 years later “VSP was born out of tragedy, the still-unsolved disappearance of 18-year-old Bennington College student Paula Jean Welden in late 1946,” Vermont State Police wrote in a Facebook post on the 75th anniversary of the agency’s formation in 2022. “The case ultimately rallied Vermonters and their political leadership to launch the Vermont State Police after many years of hesitation and debate.” Today is a big day for all of us at the Vermont State Police: our 75th anniversary! On July 1, 1947, what was then the... Posted by Vermont State Police on Friday, July 1, 2022 In the decades since Welden went missing, the cold case has haunted the college and state authorities alike. The area where she went missing around Glastenbury Mountain has been called the Bennington Triangle in the wake of her and four others’ disappearances between 1945 and 1950, the Brattleboro Reformer reported. Friday marked the 77th anniversary of Welden’s disappearance. Information on the college student continues to be submitted to Vermont State Police. However, she is still listed as a missing person, and her case remains cold. Welden was last seen on the afternoon of Dec. 1, 1946. Several hikers reported seeing her on the Long Trail just off Route 9 near Glastenbury Mountain. She was reported missing by her roommate the following morning after she did not return to campus, according to Vermont State Police. An extensive search of the area did not show any signs of Welden. Investigators were called from out of state, and numerous theories were explored, but no conclusive outcome was ever determined, Vermont State Police noted. Anyone with any information about Welden’s disappearance is asked to call Vermont State Police’s Shaftsbury office at (802) 442-5421.

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3entertainment

New episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Stream for free

Season 6 of “The Real Housewives of Miami” continues on Bravo this Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 p.m. CT with a new episode. The show can be streamed on platforms like FuboTV and DirecTV Stream for free, if you can’t watch the new episode with cable on TV. Both platforms offer a free trial for new users interested in signing up for an account. Sling is available as well for streaming. You can also stream it the next day on Peacock. “This entry in the ‘Real Housewives’ franchise sticks to the tried-and-true formula that has made other incarnations a staple on the Bravo schedule,” FuboTV said in a description of the series. “The women featured on the series are at the center of the Miami housewife universe, though not all are actually wives at the time of the show’s filming,” it added. “Among the women are Adriana De Moura, known as the Brazilian bombshell of Miami’s art scene, and Texas native Lea Black, a committed philanthropist who is married to one of America’s top criminal defense attorneys.” The new episode is titled “A Night at the Opera” and in a description FuboTV said “Adriana receives a therapy treatment and has an emotional out-of-body experience; Guerdy discovers that Larsa betrayed her trust; Julia hosts a F Cancer party in honor of Martina’s recovery, but Lisa is held up by the police.” You can watch sneak peek for the new episode below or by clicking here to watch on Bravo’s YouTube channel. How can I watch the newest episode of “The Real Housewives of Miami” for free? Viewers looking to stream can do so by using FuboTV, Sling or DirecTV Stream. Both FuboTV and DirecTV Stream offer free trials when you sign up, and Sling offers 50% off your first month. You can also stream it the next day on Peacock. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

5409b2bfad56372cfa715cf1297f8f51

1crime

3 people dead in small plane crash in western Massachusetts

Three people were killed in a small plane crash Sunday afternoon in northwestern Massachusetts, state police announced. Massachusetts State Police said they were notified around 11:45 a.m. that a small plane crash had occurred in the area of Country Club Road in Greenfield. A short time later, responders reached the crash site, which was in the Leyden Wildlife Area. Police later elaborated saying the crash location is in a clearing on the side of a wooded mountain on the Greenfield/Leyden town line. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration confirmed they were investigating after the twin-engine airplane, a Beechcraft Baron 55, crashed under unknown circumstances around 12:24 p.m. near the Leyden Wildlife Management Area, close to the Greenfield town line. Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters. NTSB is investigating the crash of a Beechcraft Baron airplane near Greenfield, Massachusetts. — NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) January 14, 2024 Both the FAA and NTSB said there were three people on board. There were no survivors, according to Greenfield police. State police confirmed their initial investigation reveals all three adults aboard the aircraft suffered fatal injuries. The victims were removed from the crash scene by the chief medical examiner's office. No names have been released at this time. State police said they are aware of social media posts purporting to contain the victims' names but said they will not be releasing or confirming any names Sunday night. Greenfield police asked people to avoid the area off of Oak Hill Acres Road, saying anyone who comes to look at the scene will be turned away. Detectives and crime scene services personnel were processing and documenting the scene, state police said. State troopers are providing security at the scene overnight, with the investigation by federal, state and local authorities resuming Monday morning. The NTSB will lead the investigation to determine what happened, with assistance from the FAA. An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive at the scene on Monday and will document the scene and examine the aircraft. The NTSB investigation will look at the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. The investigator will also gather information and records on flight track data; air traffic control communications; aircraft maintenance; weather forecasts; weather and lighting conditions at the time of the crash; pilot's license, ratings and recent flight experience; 72-hour background of the pilot; witness statements; electronic devices; and any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has surveillance video or other information that could be relevant to the investigation is asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov. The NTSB said it would not speculate about the cause of the crash, adding that a probable cause along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the agency's final report, which is expected in 12-24 months.

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4politics

Israeli-American Thought to Be a Hostage Was Killed on Oct. 7, Her Family Says

Judih Weinstein Haggai, a 70-year-old who was believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas, was actually killed during the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, her family and Kibbutz Nir Oz said in statements on Thursday. Ms. Haggai’s husband, Gadi Haggai, had also been listed as a hostage but the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum announced last week that he, too, was killed in the attacks. The forum said the couple were shot while on their morning walk through the fields of the kibbutz, and that Ms. Haggai had managed to inform friends that they had been injured, her husband critically so. Ms. Haggai was, in fact, fatally wounded, and her death has now been confirmed, Kibbutz Nir Oz said on Thursday. Its statement did not specify how it learned that she had died in the attack. The couple’s bodies are being held by Hamas, according to the kibbutz, their family and the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum. The groups said the couple were citizens of both Israel and the United States, and that Ms. Haggai also had Canadian citizenship. President Biden said he and Jill Biden, the first lady, were holding the couple’s “four children, seven grandchildren and other loved ones close to our hearts.” “I will never forget what their daughter, and the family members of other Americans held hostage in Gaza, have shared with me,” he said in a statement. “They have been living through hell for weeks.” Ms. Haggai would be remembered “for the creative life she built with her husband,” her family said, adding that “their murders are a reminder for leaders everywhere to bring the hostages home now before it is too late.”

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4politics

Iowas Generation Z rises up as caucus looms, demanding a voice in the political process

If SCOTUS’ recent ruling striking down President Biden’s relief plan still has you reeling, then the Broke & Bothered newsletter is for you. Join Reckon’s Alexis Wray as she questions the legitimacy of student loans, gives you tools to take action and shares stories from real people most impacted: Enter your email to subscribe. Growing up, Waverly Zhao went to the Iowa caucus every four years with her mother and watched as politically engaged Iowans wrote their desired presidential candidate on paper. Both then as a little girl and now at 19 years old, Zhao feels like the presence of the everyday voter and worker is missing across caucuses and within policies. Almost three years ago, Zhao and young Iowans across the state started IowaWTF, a progressive youth activism group, to fight discriminatory legislation. “IowaWTF is more than the name of an organization, it’s a movement for young people — giving us permission to be upset and channel that anger into taking action and using our voices to change things,” Zhao told Reckon. With the Iowa Republican Presidential caucus amidst today, IowaWTF has worked to engage and inform some of the youngest voters in the state by building a coalition of high school and college students and mobilizing them through informative Instagram and TikTok content on crucial issues as well as political leaders to watch. This election year, Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) will make up over 40 million potential voters. Many young people – one-fifth of the American electorate – from this generation will be first-time voters in the presidential election, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE). While it will be the first time that many young voters like Zhao cast their ballot for president, IowaWTF recognizes that not every youth will have that opportunity at the polls, like the activism group’s 19-year-old director, Nicko Dacre. “I am an immigrant, so I can’t vote,” Dacre said. “But as a constituent, my perspective matters and I plan to support a candidate that aligns with my views and is going to most directly impact me and the people closely around me.” Issues the young Iowan cares about most According to CIRCLE, issues like climate change, abortion rights and gun violence are top concerns and play a large role in how young people vote. “I think that a lot of youth are trying to find somebody who will actually get work done, pass common sense gun laws and respect basic human rights,” Zhao said. With more than 630 mass shootings across the country in 2023 and a recent shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa, young people are irate and demanding action on gun laws immediately. One student was killed and five others were injured in the Jan. 4 shooting. On Jan. 8, IowaWTF, March For Our Lives — an organization in support of gun control legislation — and several other student-led groups joined at the state capitol in Des Moines to rally and protest an end to gun violence. With the recent shooting in Iowa and a lack of gun laws across the country, Dacre feels, “as a young person and something I see a lot of other young people saying is that we are tired of seeing no action taken on the issues we care about.” While the Iowa Democratic Presidential caucus isn’t until March 5, Zhao and Dacre believe that progressive young people across Iowa will lean toward President Biden and that conservative youth will likely vote for Donald Trump today at the caucus. Similar to the presidential election four years ago, many Americans share the same sentiment that they must pick the “lesser of two evils.” IowaWTF agrees and also offers another way to get politically engaged in 2024. “I sort of agree that people have to go with the ‘lesser of two evils’ [President Biden], but more importantly we have to think about what will affect our day-to-day lives, which is less of the president and more of state legislatures, school boards and city councilors,” Dacre told Reckon. “I want to tell people and young voters to look more closely at their local elections and candidates than anyone else.” For IowaWTF, they want to do more than educate young people on the issues but also the candidates by showing them the relevance of the caucuses. Modernize caucuses = engaging young voters Historically, caucuses are less of a multigenerational event and more of a space for Baby Boomers (born between 1946 to 1964) with regular and active political engagement, not leaving much room for the presence of young people. According to CIRCLE, 57 percent of youth ages 18-34 say they’re “extremely likely” to vote in 2024. IowaWTF believes young people want to be involved in more political processes but things need to change. “This system [caucuses] needs to be updated and modernized so young people can feel connected,” Dacre said. Dacre points to 2020, when the Iowa Democratic Party used an app by Shadow Inc., a for-profit technology company, to gather votes for the Democratic presidential caucus. He appreciated that the app was built to meet voters and everyday Americans where they were even though there were inconsistencies and delays in votes due to inadequate app testing. While the process and method of conducting the Iowa Democratic presidential caucus wasn’t seamless in 2020, Zhao and Dacre felt it was a good attempt at reaching younger voters. Today, the Iowa Republican Presidential caucus will collect votes at different precincts across the state by paper, where only Iowa residents who are registered Republicans may participate. In 2020, Iowa overwhelmingly voted for Trump in their Republican presidential caucus and the Presidential election, this vote was expected by many political experts. Though youth across the country overall prefer a Democratic candidate, according to CIRCLE, not all Iowan youth share the same sentiment. Regardless of who Iowans ultimately vote for in November, on Monday all eyes are on the first-in-the-nation caucus. The country often looks at the state as the start of the campaign trail and so does IowaWTF. “The caucuses are important because they put us on the map as a relevant state; while they might not be as popular as they once were, I believe they can one day be a place where every voice is heard,” Zhao told Reckon.

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4politics

Massachusetts legislature passes few bills

Healey said she understood. She acknowledged that residents across the state are similarly struggling. “Maureen and her plight is, like, Example A of why we need to pass the Affordable Homes Act,” Healey said, referring to a sweeping housing bond bill she introduced in October — officially putting the onus on the Legislature. ”I have not been able to find anything affordable in my area,” Maureen, who identified herself by her first name, pleaded to Governor Maura Healey during the Democrat’s monthly GBH radio appearance Monday. “I’ve been there for 18 years in Tyngsboro.” The caller was desperate. After seven years of paying her rent on time, through two rent increases during the pandemic, she said, her landlord last week delivered an eviction notice. Advertisement When that could be is anyone’s guess. Nearly 11 months after it convened, the Legislature has failed to move proposals to Healey’s desk that would address some of the state’s most pressing issues — housing, gun control, and oversight of the beleaguered MBTA. And by Tuesday, lawmakers hadn’t yet sent Healey a nearly $3 billion spending bill designed to close out last fiscal year, and this time, includes hundreds of millions in funding for homeless children and families. Such a plodding pace is not new on Beacon Hill; just two years ago, one national study deemed Massachusetts’ the least effective state legislative body in the country. Tension and power dynamics among lawmakers also contribute to glacial policymaking, leading this session to divorced joint committees and backroom infighting over committee rules that, at times, have spilled into the public eye. But the dysfunction has reached a new level. In the House, where any spending bill must originate, lawmakers have taken fewer votes at this point in their two-year session than any other going back two decades, a Globe review found. And it comes at a time of an escalating statewide housing crisis that advocacy groups say is screaming for a more urgent legislative response. Advertisement “Actions speak louder than words,” said Chris Norris, executive director of Metro Housing|Boston, which administers rental assistance programs and helps connect people with housing. “Folks tell us there is urgency. But the question is: Do the actions demonstrate that it is an urgent issue to be addressed? We have seen more deliberation, and less action.” In just a year’s time, the pain wrought by the housing crisis has intensified by nearly every metric. There have been more than 35,000 eviction cases filed in the state’s housing court so far in 2023, a 25 percent jump from the same point last year, according to court data. The state has fielded more than 122,000 applications this year from low-income families for a rental assistance program known as RAFT. A crush of migrant families has pushed the emergency shelter program to unprecedented — and officials say, unsustainable — levels. The budget the Legislature passed this summer includes major increases, such as a 27 percent boost in funding for RAFT alone, and made permanent a pandemic-era renter protection law. But it’s unclear whether the Legislature will seek to bolster those programs or others geared toward low- and middle-income housing on a wider scale before formal sessions are scheduled to wrap up next July. In statements Tuesday, the House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen E. Spilka defended their records, boasting accomplishments made in the budget, as well as the passage of major bills such as a tax overhaul that expanded credits for families, seniors, renters, and low-income residents. Mariano added that the number of bills passed isn’t representative of the breadth of work accomplished, as many bills package together various policies. Advertisement “The challenges we face as a Commonwealth are complicated — and reaching consensus on the best solutions takes time,” said Gray Milkowski, a spokesperson for Spilka, an Ashland Democrat. “We have a two year session, and are confident we will have a productive 2024 as we continue to address the most pressing issues before us.” Two men conversed in the halls of the Massachusetts State House while lawmakers deliberated on high-stakes bills on the final evening of the two-year formal legislative session on July 31, 2022. Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe The pattern of inefficiency sets Massachusetts apart. According to a 2021 study by DC information company FiscalNote, Massachusetts had the lowest ratio of bills passed to bills introduced in the country. A bill introduced in Colorado, for instance, was nearly 200 times more likely to be enacted than one introduced in Massachusetts. Massachusetts passed 0.41 percent of bills introduced in 2021, making it the least effective state in the country, according to the study. The still-pending supplemental budget has become emblematic of the Legislature’s slow-moving gears. The state’s emergency shelter system is staggering amid a flood of homeless and migrant families; in at least one scenario posed by the Healey administration, it could run out of money by January. The Legislature also needs to pass the $2.8 billion supplemental to officially close the books on the fiscal year that ended nearly five months ago. Advertisement But lawmakers remain locked up in closed-door negotiations, leaving $250 million for the shelter program in limbo two weeks after the Legislature began its seven-week holiday break. The package also includes nearly $400 million for raises for thousands of public employees, for which unions already bargained. Powerful public sector unions like the Massachusetts Teacher’s Union and the AFL-CIO are so peeved by the slowdown they are asking lawmakers to sign on to a letter prodding leadership, according to a draft copy obtained by the Globe. “Many of these workers have gone years without a raise despite providing vital services to the Commonwealth,” the draft letter to both House and Senate Ways and Means chairs reads. “As their elected representatives, we owe them quick and decisive action immediately.” Peter Enrich, a former law professor at Northeastern who served as general counsel to the state’s Executive Office for Administration and Finance, said supplemental budgets like the one up for debate are routine bills. But leadership exercises control by rolling in other items and leaving major bills until the last minute, he said, giving rank-and-file members little time to debate or hash things out. “It’s frankly shameful,” said Enrich, who helps lead a coalition promoting legislative transparency. “The real impacts — the families who don’t know how their shelter is being taken care of or the employees coming into the holiday season without the money they have been owed for months — it’s really unacceptable.” Advertisement Whether or not the supplemental bill passes this year, this session still will rank among the least productive first year of session in decades. The Massachusetts House is poised to end the year having taken 70 roll call votes, the lowest at this point in the two-year session this century. Just four years ago, state representatives took twice as many by this point, and averaged more than 200 over the last decade, a Globe review found. The votes, or lack thereof, are in part a byproduct of the Legislature’s increasing reliance on bulky, omnibus packages to move proposals big and small. But it also means lawmakers make public their policy positions far less often, leaving voters far less information on which to asses their records. The Legislature has produced some major changes in the past 11 months. A $1 billion tax package that Healey signed in October marked the most significant tax relief Beacon Hill has passed in two decades. The annual budget — which the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass — made free meals in public schools a permanent program and included funding for tuition for students attending community college nursing programs, among other changes. But such sweeping bills are few and far between. Nearly 45 laws passed this year are specific to a town or city, either approving a liquor license or allowing a police officer or firefighter to serve past a certain age. Another 20 create sick leave banks for an employee or transfer a piece of land within a town — minor bills that effectively amount to legislative housekeeping. Two other bills were passed to simply keep government running because legislators were so late in passing the annual budget. Boston Representative John Moran, who is serving his first term in the Legislature, said he spent Monday — when it appeared the House could vote on the supplemental budget but didn’t — “sitting here and hoping we would come to a resolution.” “I know everyone is acting with a sense of urgency, but it probably doesn’t feel that way if you are waiting for that promised pay increase or if you’re part of the migrant population,” the South End Democrat said. “I wish I had a quick answer in terms of resolution. . . . We do need a solution.” Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross. Matt Stout can be reached at matt.stout@globe.com. Follow him @mattpstout.

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0business

Eli Lilly, riding a pharma hot streak, expects to double planned employment in Boston research center

But Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific and medical officer, said in an interview that the 12-story, 334,000-square-foot laboratory and office building will ultimately accommodate 500 Lilly scientists and researchers. In February 2022, Lilly said that it would increase its modest Massachusetts workforce from 120 to 250 employees when it opened the $700 million Lilly Institute for Genetic Medicine along Fort Point Channel. The Indianapolis-based company said it would move 120 scientists from Kendall Square in Cambridge to the institute and add another 130. Eli Lilly and Co., which transformed itself from a stodgy underperformer into one of the world’s hottest pharmaceutical companies, said Wednesday that the genetic medicine research center it plans to open in Boston in August will eventually employ twice as many workers as originally estimated. Advertisement The firm has roughly 200 employees in Cambridge, who would move to the institute at 15 Necco St. With new hires over the next 10 months, the institute could have as many as 300 employees when it opens, eventually growing to 500. Skovronsky, speaking during a break at the 2023 STAT Summit in Boston, said it was a no-brainer to open a genetic medicine center in Massachusetts, which boasts one of the world’s most robust biotech hubs, including many firms that focus on gene-based treatments. “It’s incumbent on us to be where the scientists are,” said Skovronsky, who also serves as Lilly’s executive vice president. “We’re here in Boston for the talent for sure.” Michael DiFiore, an analyst for Evercore ISI, agreed. “They kind of need to be where the heat is, and that’s in Boston, where there’s so much academic and startup activity going on,” DiFiore said. “You almost can’t not have a presence there if you’re serious about next-generation technology platforms.” The institute will focus on developing RNA-based medicine, gene therapies, and other treatments that address the root cause of diseases. RNA drugs use ribonucleic acid found in cells to turn genes on and off in the treatment of disease. Gene therapies replace defective genes with healthy ones to help fight illnesses. Advertisement Messenger RNA coronavirus vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer have introduced genetic medicine to the public on a wide scale. But the Lilly institute doesn’t plan to work on vaccines. Rather, it will concentrate on drugs similar to those pioneered by Cambridge biotech Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, according to Skovronsky. In 2018, Alnylam won the first approval ever of a medicine that uses RNA interference, or RNAi, to “silence” disease-causing genes. The drug, called Onpattro, treated a rare inherited disease called hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, or hATTR, which causes multiple serious symptoms, including nerve damage. Alnylam has since persuaded drug regulators to approve four additional RNAi drugs for rare diseases. The medicines, which have annual list prices of six figures per patient, work by silencing disease-causing genes in the liver. Lilly is running clinical trials of an RNAi drug delivered to the liver to treat a fatty particle in the blood called lipoprotein(a), Skovronsky said. High levels of that particle, also known as lp(a), can dramatically raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke at an early age. Lilly also plans to run clinical trials next year of experimental medicines that deliver the same gene-silencing technology to the brain to treat Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, he said. “One of the things we’ve been working really hard on is making these kinds of technologies work in other organs,” Skovronsky said. “It’s really hard to get drugs into the brain, but I think we’ve been making good progress.” Advertisement In addition to housing Lilly employees, the new institute will include biotech space that other companies can use, modeled after Lilly’s Gateway Labs in San Francisco. The incubator will create opportunities for collaboration with Lilly scientists and could house an additional 150 workers, Lilly said. Few pharmaceutical firms have generated more excitement lately than Lilly. By the end of the year, the 147-year-old company is expected to win approval for both its Alzheimer’s treatment donanemab and its buzzy obesity drug tirzepatide, which it already markets as Mounjaro for diabetes. Like Biogen’s recently approved Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, donanemab removes deposits of a sticky toxic protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is a hallmark of the disease. The Food and Drug Administration approved it in July after clinical trials showed the medicine modestly slowed cognitive decline in people with early Alzheimer’s. Donanemab generated even more impressive results than Leqembi in a recently published study of patients with early Alzheimer’s symptoms, slowing the rate of cognitive decline by about 35 percent. Based on that, donanemab is widely expected to win FDA approval for people with mild impairment. Lilly has also stirred excitement for tirzepatide, one in a wave of new drugs that have led to weight loss in patients. When Mounjaro was prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes, it helped those who were also overweight or obese lose up to nearly 15.7 percent of their body weight. Estimates for the size of the global obesity market by the end of the decade have ranged from $50 billion to $100 billion. Advertisement Lilly now boasts a staggering market value of $575 billion, the most of any big pharma company. Jonathan Saltzman can be reached at jonathan.saltzman@globe.com.

2d98c34f733332ec25c3eae0ca65267a

5science

Heres when you can see the devil comet hurtling toward Earth

2024 is off with an astronomical bang. A gigantic comet is currently hurtling its way toward Earth. But before you start to think we’re going the way of the dinosaur, rest assured it’s going to be totally okay. According to Astronomy.com, this Devil comet — so called for the horn-looking points it developed after it underwent an outburst back in July — is “bigger than Mount Everest” and has been recognized by scientists since the 1800s (it’s real name is the Comet Pons-Brooks, as well as Comet 12P, in honor the man who discovered it). Earth.com further explains how this Devil comet is cryovolcanic, meaning it’s made of ice that spews water, ammonia, or even methane rather than lava. The New York Post reports how the comet actually most likely exploded again over the weekend, letting lose a large amount of gas and ice in space. “The last few outbursts have been a 15-day cadence,” tells Nick James of the British Astronomical Association to Spaceweather.com. “And we might be coming up on another one.” “It’s like Old Faithful,” adds Richard Miles, also of the BAA. “Comet 12P has a super cryogeyeser, [an] eruption of which is triggered after local sunrise at its location.” But while the idea of an enormous celestial body heading toward our planet may be unnerving, Astronomy.com wants you to know that everything’s going to be fine: The comet will be making its way between Earth and Venus as it passes through our inner solar system, coming its closest in June. It’ll also be visible during this year’s solar eclipse, so keep your eyes peeled come April 8.

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4politics

2023 Bostonians of the Year: The beleaguered MBTA commuter

Last spring, Nicole Merullo descended the stairs of the MBTA station in Harvard Square, swiped her T pass at the fare gates, and weaved her way down the ramp to the platform of the inbound Red Line train. All the while, her fellow commuters — those not completely immersed in their phones, anyway — looked on with a bit of wonder. Some smiled and nodded. Others shook their heads in solidarity. A few confused passengers mustered up the confidence to ask her about the cardboard sign that dangled from a piece of red string around her neck. Merullo was staging a one-woman protest. On her sign, she had written a plaintive message in bold black marker to anyone paying attention: WE DESERVE A BETTER T. Advertisement In many ways, Merullo was an oracle for our era. Her sky-is-falling plea for better service was prompted after the MBTA, under federal mandate, began operating on a vastly reduced schedule in 2022 that still remains in place today. But her proselytizing felt particularly prescient this year when, in the very same station, a 20-pound panel suddenly fell from the ceiling, nearly striking a commuter. The video clip of the insulation tile dropping in a cloud of dust mere inches from the woman’s white high-tops felt like an act of God: Bear witness as the infrastructure of our once-great transportation system crumbles at our very feet! Get Globe Magazine An engaging blend of award-winning narrative journalism, opinion, lifestyle, travel, recipes, and advice. Enter Email Sign Up In this, the Year of our Lord 2023, navigating Greater Boston via public transportation has become an increasingly fraught endeavor. Discussing the daily commute now requires rhetoric from the Age of Exploration: Fare thee well fellow traveler, and may the wind be at your back. Embark with bravery and an iron will to conquer the unknown. Kiss your loved ones, for you know not when you’ll see them again. Advertisement Those bold enough to venture forth have suffered through station shutdowns, slow zones, and train breakdowns. They’ve stuffed themselves like cattle onto MBTA buses and shuttles, frittering away hours as they creep through Boston’s noxious traffic. At many points this year, it’s been faster to walk alongside the T than to ride it. That is, if your train happens to be running at all. Nicole Merullo wearing a protest sign. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff/File “We are in a very, very dire place,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said of the MTBA this fall. The system, she said, was “barely adequate for the needs of a world-class economic engine and hub for our workforce.” And that was before the MBTA announced massive defects along the new, $2.3 billion Green Line extension. And before it said it would shut down segments of all four subway lines for repairs over 14 months, often for days or weeks at a time. And before the news that repairing the entire system’s decrepit stations, tracks, and signals would require at least $24.5 billion, the cost of another Big Dig. And yet, still we ride. Whether due to virtue or sheer need, a commitment to climate consciousness, a sense of civic duty, or just because it’s the cheapest way to get downtown, MBTA riders are an essential part of keeping our mass transit system — literally — on track. These commuters are the red blood cells traveling the arteries of our city’s beating heart. To ride now is to keep this city and region alive — pumping dollars into businesses and museums and universities. Staffing office buildings and restaurants, construction sites and science labs. Keeping cars, and their carbon dioxide, off our streets. Advertisement And so this year, we celebrate them as the Bostonians of the Year: The Beleaguered, Intrepid, Absolutely Essential MBTA Commuters. Just as essential workers kept the city’s institutions humming during the darkest moments of COVID, essential riders are now doing their part to keep cities such as Boston vibrant. (It’s worth noting, of course, that MBTA employees were considered essential themselves, and many other essential workers could only get to their jobs because of the T.) Today’s transit riders play an increasingly critical role in a city’s competitiveness and in our ongoing post-COVID recovery. “These are our heroes,” says Tracy Hadden Loh, a fellow with the Brookings Institution. They’re eating lunch from restaurants. Going shopping. And by just showing up to work, they contribute to the commercial real estate occupancy levels — supporting a critical piece of our city’s tax base. All this, despite the fact, Loh adds, “that the T is having an operational crisis that is existential.” An exhausted passenger on the Red Line in April. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Loh experienced it firsthand when she visited Boston earlier this year: She had 70 minutes to travel roughly 5 miles from the airport to Kendall Square for a meeting, but didn’t make it in time. “I traveled hundreds of miles” to be at the event, she says. “But I wasn’t even close.” Advertisement The MBTA, like many urban transit networks, went into freefall during COVID. Ridership dropped to just 10 percent of pre-pandemic levels — and is now at around 64 percent. Car traffic, however, is back, and nearing pre-COVID levels. In January, the city got the distinction of being ranked the fourth worst in the world for roadway gridlock. As of August, Boston streets were 5.2 percent more congested than they had been a year prior, according to the GPS service Waze. For many, taking mass transit has become a catch-22: More Bostonians would take the T if it became more reliable, but it can’t become more reliable unless more Bostonians take the T. Take the recent workaround the MBTA offered to riders getting off the Red Line when it shut down the Green Line for repairs: Instead of getting a transfer at Park Street, they were instructed to take the underground tunnel to the Orange Line, hop on a train to Back Bay Station, then walk to Copley Square to get a shuttle bus traveling the Green Line route. It was a frustration for everyone, and a nightmare for anyone with mobility challenges. “We have gone so far beyond asking T riders what we have any right to ask of them,” says Charles Chieppo, a senior fellow at the Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based think tank. “There just aren’t even words for it. And that just breaks my heart.” The fact that riders keep riding despite these obstacles is proof that a public transit recovery is possible, but getting there is infuriating. This September, for example, daily ridership on the T grew to the highest it had been since 2020, peaking at 67 percent of pre-pandemic levels. That same month also saw among the longest delays yet this year for the Red Line — when trains crept an hour and 22 minutes slower than their typical pace during peak travel times, according to TransitMatters’ Data Dashboard. Advertisement For Xavier Calderon, 23, getting to his job as an overnight security guard near South Station has been a crapshoot over the past year, as he’s navigated Red Line slow zones and shutdowns along the Ashmont line. “The trains are delayed without any warning or anything. And then I end up showing up to work like 20 or 30 minutes late,” he says. He’s lucky to have understanding managers and a measure of flexibility at work, but knows others aren’t in the same position. Orange Line delays at Sullivan Station in July. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff During the September shutdown, Calderon had to budget carefully to take an Uber to and from his Dorchester home for $20 each way. “Whether it’s ordering Ubers or trying to get a ride or something like that, it kind of makes more work for me,” he says. “The last minute warnings or last minute switches ruin a lot of people’s days.” Fare revenues for the MBTA are down overall as a result of the chaos (and riders’ ongoing concerns about COVID), and remain a fraction of what they once were. They used to fund more than 42 percent of MBTA operating costs, but that figure dropped to as low as 10 percent last year, and now hovers around 20 percent. But fares are more than just dollars that help the bottom line, Loh says. “Fare revenue is about a recognition of the personal value of the connection that transit provides.” For transit systems to work, they need to become less “peaky” — focusing less on getting workers to downtown offices, she says, and instead looking to build better public transportation networks that can serve all trips at all points of the day. That means more frequent, all-day bus routes that serve suburbs and more off-peak trips to serve hybrid workers who no longer need to be in the office every day between 9 and 5. And it means finding more creative solutions to incentivize ridership and raise funds for transit in the process. “People who use transit generate a lot of benefits for other people by staying off the road and leaving space for others,” Loh says. “And yet those benefits accrue to others, not to the transit riders.” That’s part of why New York is now experimenting with congestion pricing and regional sales tax revenue to fund its transit costs. And it’s also worth noting that the beleaguered riders who rely most on public transit, and spend the most time on the system, are often the ones who earn the least. The US Census Bureau’s American Time Use Survey found that in 2022, a third of Americans did some or all of their work from home, up from less than a quarter of the public pre-pandemic. But not all jobs are created equal. Most of those remote positions required a bachelor’s degree or higher. And in the Boston area, the wealthiest ZIP codes, such as Cambridge and Newton, have some of the highest rates of remote workers. On an October afternoon, around 80 people were evacuated from a Green Line train. Diti Kohli/Globe Staff Ironically, those ZIP codes are also some of the best serviced by transit, which likely accounts for the one bright spot in MBTA ridership these days: The commuter rail trains reached a “post-pandemic peak” this October, surpassing 90 percent of their pre-pandemic levels. (Disrupted Red Line service pushing commuters onto the Fairmount line and Halloween trains to Salem also had a hand in this spike.) Boston has been piloting fare-free bus routes to attempt to acknowledge wealth disparities among riders. But there are other ways to subsidize low-income commuters, too: Washington, D.C., has experimented with a low-income fare program for SNAP recipients — T officials have discussed similar possibilities here — while in Seattle, transit passes are provided for residents of public housing. The MBTA’s viability also stands to offer one of the biggest solutions to our region’s ballooning housing crisis. One of the most promising housing measures passed in the state in the last five decades, the MBTA Communities Act, requires 177 cities and towns in the MBTA’s service area to pass new zoning to permit multifamily housing units in dense areas, largely around transit stations. But suburban pushback to the act is real — one Milton resident at a public meeting recently suggested shutting down the Mattapan trolley entirely just to avoid meeting the housing requirement — and is bolstered every time the T spontaneously bursts into flames. The success of the MBTA Communities Act “really depends on people believing that the T is going to work well,” says Jarred Johnson, who heads TransitMatters, the local advocacy group celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. “I think the state has got to think really hard about how it boosts people’s confidence in this system . . . And it’s not only making the system work, but having people believe that the system works, which is somewhat different but really critical.” A rider with her 15-month-old daughter on the Blue Line in July. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Johnson also believes the T can do more to recognize — and celebrate — the role riders play in tackling other big, existential issues the city faces, such as combating climate change. Why not post more signs about how much carbon train commuters are keeping out of our atmosphere, for example? Why not make people feel good about taking the train? “For so many of the things that we care about, and so many of the big challenges we face, the T is, I’d argue, a really critical part of solving those problems,” Johnson says. “That, for me, is why it is so important that we celebrate the T and celebrate its potential, even in the state that it’s been in. We need to celebrate the people that keep thinking about it and keep pushing the state and the region to honor their side of that contract. Because we are not going to build the housing that we need to, we’re not going to solve climate change, and we’re not going to solve congestion, if we don’t have a T that works.” If anything, the bright side of our MBTA maelstrom is that it’s inspired a new generation of transit activists such as Nishanth Veeragandham, a 17-year-old high school junior from Lexington, who has relied on the train to get him to his volunteer placement in Central Square every Friday afternoon for the past three years. Some of his classmates disparage the T. “In school, people say they should stop funding the T or just shut it down entirely,” he says. “They want to prioritize cars, because that’s just what they’re used to.” But he’s a believer, and has already started attending TransitMatters’ advocacy meetings (though he was severely late to his last one, thanks, of course, to a delayed train). “With the MBTA, when people don’t advocate for these services they fall into decline, and when public support — the town or community — is less willing to provide funding, it falls into a spiral,” Veeragandham says. “I want people to see that when they ride on a bus that that contribution matters. Ideally it opens their eyes to the work of how public transportation helps other people.” Because that really, at its heart, is what being a public transit rider is about: the public good. It’s something Tracy Hadden Loh waxed poetic about on X while riding the Silver Line during another visit to Boston this year, noting the passengers who cut across age, race, and class lines. “It’s not just transit of last resort,” she says. “And that kind of broad buy-in from really diverse populations means that if the T can solve its reliability problems, I think ridership will explode.” Fields Corner station in February. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Johnson of TransitMatters says he and a member of the group’s board, former Massachusetts transportation secretary Jim Aloisi, bring this up all the time. “In a world in which so many of the things that we do are shaped by class and race and all of these other factors, transit becomes one of the few places where people of different races and social classes mix,” Johnson says. “That is a really important thing that we could lose if we don’t take care of transit, and we leave transit as something that you only take because you don’t have any options.” That’s why celebrating straphangers, and the role they play in keeping the system honest, is so essential. Nicole Merullo, our one-woman protest, wore her sign daily for months, finally taking it off last winter. This year, when she started graduate school and her commute changed, she grew so frustrated with the T’s unreliability that she began taking a university shuttle to get to campus. That decision should be a cautionary tale for the MBTA: If it can lose a committed rider like Merullo, it can lose almost anyone. But Merullo hasn’t lost hope. She’s been optimistic since MBTA general manager Phillip Eng started in the role in March, and believes he’s bringing much-needed transparency to the organization. “I have a sense of pride in our transportation system,” she says. Meanwhile, the riders will keep riding, and keep hoping that one day we’ll all eventually reach our destination: The dependable system that we deserve. Janelle Nanos can be reached at janelle.nanos@globe.com. Follow her @janellenanos.

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4politics

The 14th Amendment Disqualification Was Not Meant for Trump - The New York Times

Challenges to disqualify Donald Trump from the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment are popping up all over the country. On Thursday the secretary of state of Maine ruled that Mr. Trump would be ineligible for the state’s primary ballot, a decision that can be appealed to the state’s Supreme Court. On Wednesday the Michigan Supreme Court ruled narrowly that the state will allow Mr. Trump to stay on the primary ballot but left open a potential future challenge to his inclusion on a general-election ballot. But so far only one — the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that bars Mr. Trump from the primary ballot — has reached the doorstep of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court should take the case and reverse the Colorado Supreme Court ruling and do so for the very reason cited by the Colorado judges. According to the Colorado court (quoting an earlier, unrelated case), Section 3 should be interpreted “in light of the objective sought to be achieved and the mischief to be avoided.” That is exactly right. The Colorado court failed, however, to follow its own advice. When Congress passed the 14th Amendment, there wasn’t a person in the Senate or House who worried about loyal Americans electing a former rebel like Jefferson Davis as president. Instead, Republicans feared that the leaders of the rebellion would use their local popularity to disrupt Republican Reconstruction policy in Congress or in the states. Section 3 expressly addressed these concerns and did so without denying loyal Americans their right to choose a president.

9c978a91d9011b45529e1f326bab8f38

0business

Menu signed by Mao Zedong brings a quarter million dollars at auction

Local News Menu signed by Mao Zedong brings a quarter million dollars at auction The menu was signed in fountain pen by six influential Chinese statesmen, including Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai. This photo provided by RR Auction shows an official menu for a state banquet signed by former Chinese leader Mao Zedong that has been auctioned for $275,000. (RR Auction via AP) BOSTON (AP) — An official menu for a state banquet that bears the signature of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong has been auctioned for $275,000. Boston-based RR Auction said the menu auctioned Wednesday was for a banquet held in Beijing on October 19, 1956, and commemorated the first state visit to China by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The menu was signed in fountain pen by six influential Chinese statesmen, including Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai. The banquet featured foods from both nations and included delicacies such as “Consommé of Swallow Nest and White Agaric,” “Shark’s Fin in Brown Sauce,” and “Roast Peking Duck.” Advertisement: “To hold a menu signed by Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai is to hold a piece of the past — a piece that tells a story of diplomatic engagement, cultural exchange, and the forging of friendships that have endured through the decades,” Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction, said in a statement. Other items auctioned off included a fully operational World War II-era Enigma coding machine for $206,253, a Thomas Edison-signed document for a light bulb patent for $22,154, and a check signed by Steve Jobs to Radio Shack was sold for $46,063. This photo provided by RR Auction shows a check signed by Steve Jobs to Radio Shack in 1976. The check has been auctioned off for $46,063. (RR Auction via AP) The check, dated July 23, 1976, is payable to RadioShack for a whopping $4.01, and was signed by Jobs the same year he and Steve Wozniak launched Apple in a Silicon Valley garage.

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6sports

Did Bill Belichick send a message to other NFL teams?

FOXBOROUGH – Bill Belichick wants to continue coaching. It remains to be seen if that’ll still be with the Patriots. On Monday, Belichick held what might be his final press conference as the head coach of the New England Patriots. One of the biggest takeaways is that Belichick made it seem like he’d be willing to give up his control as general manager to keep coaching in New England. That seemed like an obvious pitch from Belichick, who’s scheduled to meet with owner Robert Kraft this week. It could also be a pitch for other NFL teams. “I’m for whatever, collectively, we decide as an organization is the best thing to help our football team,” Belichick said. “And, I have multiple roles in that, and I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities. If somebody’s got to have the final say, I rely on a lot of other people to help. And, however that process is, I’m only part of it.” BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. With Belichick, the prevailing thought was wherever he coached next season, he would be the one to run the front office. That’s been the case in New England. Since coming to the Patriots in 2000, Belichick has been the general manager and head coach. As he noted, Belichick has had help from various directors of player personnel such as Scott Pioli, Nick Caserio, Dave Ziegler, and most recently, Matt Groh. Belichick has an NFL record six Super Bowl championships as a head coach. He’s considered the greatest head coach in NFL history. He’d be an easy sell for any NFL owner looking for an experienced coach. Over the last four seasons, however, Belichick’s personnel decisions have come back to haunt the Patriots. His roster has lacked elite offensive talent since Tom Brady left. His last All-Pro offensive player was guard Joe Thuney in 2019. His last true offensive Pro Bowl player (excluding Mac Jones, who made the team as an alternate) was Brady in 2018. His last Pro Bowl pass catcher was Rob Gronkowski in 2017. The Patriots last 1,000-yard receiver was Julian Edelman in 2019. The Patriots offense finished tied for last in the NFL in scoring (13.9 points per game) and ranked 30th in yards (276.2). “I think we have some things that we can build on,” Belichick said when asked about assembling the 2023 Patriots. “I think there are some things that we need to fix and change.” What the Patriots need to change is how they built their offense through the draft, free agency, and trades. Belichick’s job as the general manager could be one hang-up for a potential new owner. However, if Belichick is willing to go to another team and just be the head coach, it would possibly open more jobs. One seems to be the Atlanta Falcons. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, “the Falcons are a team to watch if Belichick is available. They are interested, per sources.” Falcons owner Arthur Blank fired head coach Arthur Smith on Sunday night but kept general manager Terry Fontenot. Belichick could also be an option for a playoff contender who ends up looking for a new head coach. Options would include the Dallas Cowboys, whose owner, Jerry Jones, is also the general manager. Could Belichick be an option if Jones fires Mike McCarthy? The Philadelphia Eagles are in a similar situation. They’ve assembled a great roster under general manager Howie Roseman, but coming off a 14-3 season, they finished 11-6. Philadelphia finished the season 1-5 in their final six games. If they’re looking for a more experienced head coach than Nick Sirianni, Belichick would certainly fit the bill. On Monday, Belichick was asked if he would be interested in coaching for another NFL team. “I’m not going to get into a lot of hypothetical situations,” Belichick replied. The gravity of this situation isn’t lost on Patriots players. Several voiced their support for their head coach on Monday. It’s clear Belichick is still respected and judging by his defense’s performance this season, it’s obvious he’s still a good coach. The issue, however, has been Belichick the general manager. His willingness to do away with those responsibilities makes it possible he could return to New England, but also makes him an even better candidate for other NFL teams. “I’m going to do everything I can every day to do the best I can to help our football team,” Belichick said on Monday. “That’s what I’ve always done. It’s never been any different for me in my career. I learned that lesson from my dad growing up. You work for the team that you’re working for and do the best you can for it, until somebody tells you different. So, that’s not going to change.”

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1crime

Alec Baldwin faces new indictment in 'Rust' movie set shooting

Alec Baldwin was charged anew with involuntary manslaughter after being indicted by a grand jury on Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of "Rust" in 2021, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. Baldwin accidentally shot and killed Halyna Hutchins while they were rehearsing a scene from the ill-fated Western in the New Mexico desert and the gun discharged. Baldwin's initial involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped last April, but prosecutors said they could be revived. "We look forward to our day in court," Baldwin's lawyers Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas told Fox News Digital on Friday.

72bde14f156f566f0f7efcb7a6b7a649

0business

The A.C.L.U. Has a New Client: The National Rifle Association

The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association agree about very little. They are often on opposite sides in major cases, and they certainly have starkly different views about gun rights. But when the Supreme Court agreed to hear the N.R.A.’s free-speech challenge to what it said were a New York official’s efforts to blacklist it, one of its lawyers had a bold idea. Why not ask the A.C.L.U. to represent it before the justices? “The N.R.A. might be thought of as the 800-pound gorilla on the Second Amendment,” said the lawyer, William A. Brewer III. “Clearly, the A.C.L.U. is the 800-pound gorilla on the First Amendment.” David Cole, the civil liberties group’s national legal director, said the request in one sense posed a hard question.

4c9c8c1bf154f14eb4b08495b36d0849

4politics

Late Boston Mayor Menino's family marks 30th Xmas toy giveaway

The family, including the late mayor’s wife, Angela, welcomed more than 370 families to the Catholic Charities’ Teen Center at St. Peter’s Parish to celebrate the holidays and receive necessities such as winter coats and boots as well as fun presents, Samantha Menino said. On Christmas Eve, for the 30th year in a row, the Menino family gave these gifts to families in Dorchester’s Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood to carry on the legacy of the former mayor, who cared deeply about the well-being of the community, according to his 25-year-old granddaughter Samantha Menino. The family of late Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino spends the weeks leading up to Christmas playing Santa Claus — poring over wish lists, pushing carts full of toys at Walmart, and filling up bags for families who could use a little extra cheer. Advertisement Angela Menino chats with Rev. Jack Ahern, former pastor of St. Peter’s, at the 30th Menino Family Christmas Eve Toy Distribution on Sunday. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff “We are those crazy people that hold up the lines at Walmart because we take lists and have five or six carts at a time full of toys,” Samantha Menino said. “Then the toys are in our garage, and we as a family ... with friends and volunteers, everyone shows up to our house and we put the toys in trash bags by family.” In addition to the Mayor Thomas M. Menino Fund for Boston and Catholic Charities, many donors, such as Amazon and the Red Sox Foundation, give money and time to allow the distribution to run smoothly, according to Kelley Tuthill, president of Catholic Charities Boston. The Meninos send interest forms to families in the neighborhood so they can receive clothes that fit and toys they’re excited about. “It’s really tailored to make sure the kids get what they want. They let ‘Secret Santa’ know, and that ‘Secret Santa’ is the Menino family, and they make these wishes come true,” Tuthill said in a phone interview. “It’s really important to the Menino family that the kids get what they most want. That’s the joy of it.” Advertisement Lots of bicycles were given out on Sunday, Tuthill said. Sansa Sweene, 11, scans the parking lot after emerging with a bike at the 30th Menino Family Christmas Eve Toy Distribution in Boston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Some children needed a new bedspread, but the Meninos made sure that those receiving bedspreads also received a toy because they believe it’s important for kids to receive something fun in addition to necessities, Samantha Menino said. “Today, there was a little girl who was taking a picture with Santa as the volunteers were getting her bag, and they brought up a bike and her whole face lit up,” Menino said. “She nearly leaped out of Santa’s arms and got on her bike to ride away. She was so excited and she was probably no older than four years old. That’s really why we do it.” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu made an appearance at Sunday’s event to support the cause, bringing her sons Blaise and Cass, Tuthill said. “The big, important part to this whole thing is that it’s all about keeping [Mayor Menino’s] commitment to the community alive,” the late mayor’s son, Thomas Menino Jr., said in a phone interview. Bailey Allen can be reached at bailey.allen@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @baileyaallen.

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0business

Lake Williams floating boardwalk unveiled in Marlborough

If you’ve ever wanted to walk on water like a certain someone many of us are celebrating this time of year, the City of Marlborough has answered your prayers. On Tuesday, Mayor Arthur Vigeant unveiled the completed Lake Williams floating boardwalk — a 3,000-foot recreation trail on the water that connects to an existing land trail. Combined, the land and water loop is about a mile and a half long. Read more: A Chipotle with a drive-thru is opening in Marlborough According to a press release from the city, it is one of the longest floating walkways in the country. But those excited to use the boardwalk will have to wait a few months. The boardwalk can stay on the lake during the winter, as it’s designed to ride up onto the ice when the lake freezes, but it won’t be open to pedestrians during this time, the city said. So right now, even though the boardwalk is finished, no one will be able to set foot on it until the spring. The City of Marlborough has completed a floating boardwalk on Lake Williams.City of Marlborough As Lake Williams is no longer used as a source for drinking water, recreational use of the lake is currently under review, the city said. Final rules for use of the boardwalk and the lake are expected to be posted before the boardwalk reopens in the spring. “I envision people using it for fishing and maybe even getting some kayaks and row boats in the water,” Vigeant said. Vigeant said the city’s engineer got the idea for the floating boardwalk from the DelCarte Conservation Area in Franklin. The city has wanted to do more with the lake and the existing trail for a long time, but their original idea would’ve cost $7 million, he said. Instead, the city used nearly $2 million in federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to build the new boardwalk on Lake Williams. Planning for the boardwalk began in the summer and was followed by months of construction, but there’s still more to build, the city said in the release. The city is in the process of designing a walkway next to Marlborough District Courthouse that will allow visitors to access the boardwalk from Williams Street.

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4politics

Sheriffs Deputy Killed in Car Chase Involving U.S. Senators Son

The younger Mr. Cramer, his father said in the statement, suffers from “serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.” “Kris was with Ian when he insisted on going to his brother Ike,” Kevin Cramer said in the statement on Wednesday. “Ike died in 2018.” Upon arrival at the hospital, Ian Cramer “jumped into the driver’s seat” and fled, the senator said. He drove it through the doors of the hospital’s ambulance bay, according to the Bismarck Police Department. The vehicle, a black 2017 Chevrolet S.U.V., was then reported stolen, the police said. The authorities were able to locate Ian Cramer in the city of Hazen, roughly 70 miles away in Mercer County, because his mother’s phone had been left in the car and its location was being tracked by his sister, the senator said. Ian Cramer then led the police on a pursuit on a highway. The chase went on for about five miles before Mr. Cramer crashed the S.U.V. into an unoccupied sheriff’s patrol car that was parked on the side of the highway, ending the pursuit a little over an hour after he had sped off from the hospital.

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5science

Woburn mans ashes will fly into space with those of Gene Roddenberry

A Woburn, Massachusetts, native will soon share a spacecraft with several actors from the original “Star Trek” series, heading out into deep space on a flight referred to as the Enterprise flight. However, it’s not for a new movie or TV series. Some of the ashes of Francis “Fran” Gillis, along with the DNA and ashes of 264 individuals, will be aboard a spacecraft heading for deep space launched from Cape Canaveral on Jan. 8. Gillis, 67, died on July 20, 2018, according to his obituary shared by Celestis, a company that conducts memorial spaceflights that orbit remains, DNA or digital make-ups and genetic codes on MindFiles around Earth, the moon and, beginning on Jan. 8, into deep space. “He would talk about ‘adventure,’” his sister Jacqueline Gillis, of Hudson, said to MassLive. “He was an avid reader of science fiction, an adventurer; he loved the outdoors and had an interest in science and was a ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars’ fan. He knew after he died, he wanted to go into deep space.” Gillis went to Woburn High School and was active in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, eventually receiving an Army scholarship to Northeastern University and serving 22 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel. All throughout his life, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America, now known as BSA Scouts, and had an appreciation of the outdoors. He served as scoutmaster of Troop 629 in Johns Creek, Ga., until his death. Gillis died suddenly while making a drive up to the Continental Divide in Canada after meeting with a nephew in Idaho — “He loved to drive,” Jacqueline said. He was a bachelor and a loyal brother to five siblings, uncle to eight nieces and nephews and great-uncle to eight grandnieces and grandnephews, as well as a devoted scout leader. With Gillis’ journey into the final frontier, Jacqueline said the family was curious about watching a part of their loved one be sent into space, someone who she always saw “with a science fiction novel in his hands.” In discussing his will, an accountant expressed uncertainty over spending Gillis’ money to send some of his ashes into space. It was at that moment, according to Jacqueline, that a light overhead in Gillis’ house flickered. The moment assured her that her brother’s final wish to go into deep space “was meant to be,” she said. The inaugural flight, called the Enterprise Flight, but properly known as the Deep Space Voyager Mission, will house on the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket the partial remains and DNA of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife and “Star Trek” actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, along with actors Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan and DeForest Kelley — who played Lt. Uhura, engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, respectively — among others from the show. Capsule containing the remains of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, along with several actors from the original series, will be launched into deep space from Cape Canaveral on Jan. 8. Courtesy of Celestis Memorial Spaceflight.Celestis Part of Gillis’ ashes interred at Arlington National Cemetery were removed and sent to Celestis, Jacqueline said. The request made of her was to send two grams of ashes, one to go onboard the Enterprise flight and another as a backup in case there is a problem with the launch. Majel Barrett watched Celestis’ first commercial spaceflight in 1997, Celestis president Colby Youngblood told MassLive on Friday. When she spoke with CEO Charles Chafer, he promised her that he would send her and her late husband’s ashes into space one day. Over time, the company became close with actors from the original series, Youngblood said, and they made it their wish to have part of their remains sent into deep space one day. Even Roddenberry and Barrett’s son, Rod — “very much alive,” Youngblood noted — has a DNA swab from his cheek inside a capsule that will also take part in the Enterprise flight. The craft will even have hair samples belonging to former presidents George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. The company was gifted a collection of hair samples of historical figures and celebrities with the idea they could one day be launched into deep space, Youngblood said. “We chose three presidents who we felt would be honored by this first voyage into deep space,” he said, adding that approval was made with the estates and foundations of the three American presidents. Capsules containing remains of over 200 individuals, including "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and "Star Trek" actors Majel Barrett, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols and James Doohan, will launch into deep space on Celestis Memorial Spaceflight's Enterprise Flight on Jan. 8, 2024. Courtesy of Celestis Memorial Spaceflight.Celestis The rocket will launch a Peregrine Lunar Lander on the Moon carrying 70 capsules, while the Enterprise flight will continue into an orbit around the sun, Youngblood said. Once orbit is achieved, the Enterprise flight — by then referred to as the Enterprise Station by Celestis — will become the human race’s “furthest outpost — where it will journey endlessly, perhaps awaiting discovery by a distant-in-time civilization.” Celestis was founded in 1994 by a team of entrepreneurs, retired astronauts and pioneers of the commercial space age. Since 1997, it has launched 17 missions into space and as a company “engages licensed funeral directors, maintains a trust fund licensed and audited by the Texas Department of Banking, and is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau,” its website said. Memorial spaceflight experiences through Celestis range in price. The starting price to be launched into space and then brought back to Earth is $2,995, while being launched into Earth’s orbit hikes up to $4,995, according to Celestis’ website. Being launched to the moon to go either into its orbit or land on its surface starts at $12,995, and being part of the Deep Space Voyager missions shares the same starting price. “We have to price them so that every person can partake in (a space flight),” Youngblood said. “How do we do that? We take our largest missions, like the Voyager Mission, or the lunar service, and we price those competitively with the average U.S. funeral, which is $15,000.” While each of these options creates what the website describes as “permanent memorials,” the Earth orbit service ends in the spacecraft re-entering the atmosphere and “harmlessly vaporizing like a shooting star in a final tribute.” The launch is expected to be at 2:18 a.m. on Monday, Jacqueline said. In case of any delays, she said it could be pushed to Jan. 9, Jan. 10 or Jan. 11 at around the same time. One of Gillis’ nephews will go to Florida to watch the launch, while Jacqueline and the family hope to be awake to say one more farewell. “I’m thrilled for him,” she said. “What fun! What a bang for his buck.”

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5science

Earth Was Due for Another Year of Record Warmth. But This Warm?

Earth is finishing up its warmest year in the past 174 years, and very likely the past 125,000. Unyielding heat waves broiled Phoenix and Argentina. Wildfires raged across Canada. Flooding in Libya killed thousands. Wintertime ice cover in the dark seas around Antarctica was at unprecedented lows. This year’s global temperatures did not just beat prior records. They left them in the dust. From June through November, the mercury spent month after month soaring off the charts. December’s temperatures have largely remained above normal: Much of the Northeastern United States is expecting springlike conditions this week. That is why scientists are already sifting through evidence — from oceans, volcanic eruptions, even pollution from cargo ships — to see whether this year might reveal something new about the climate and what we are doing to it.

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0business

Vase Bought at Goodwill for $3.99 Sells for More Than $100,000

Jessica Vincent made her way in June through a busy Goodwill thrift store in Hanover County, Va., passing VCRs, lamps and glassware commonly sold at big-box retailers. Nothing really caught her eye until she saw an iridescent glass vase. After doing a lap around the store, she returned to the bottle-shaped vase with red and green swirls. She noticed a small “M” on the bottom that she believed stood for Murano, an island off Venice and the historical home of Italian glassware. She had a feeling it might be worth something. “I had a sense that it might be a $1,000 or $2,000 piece,” she said, adding, “but I had no clue how good it actually was until I did a little bit more research.” There was no price on the vase. Ms. Vincent, 43, told herself she’d pay $8.99 and no more. When the cashier rang her up, it was $3.99.

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0business

Big Y leadership passes to 3rd generation; Michael P. DAmour will be president, CEO

SPRINGFIELD – Big Y Foods is passing leadership of the grocery chain down to the third generation of the D’Amour family. Current CEO Charles L. D’Amour will become executive chairman of the board.

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6sports

Ravens Pro-Bowl TE suffers injury on opening drive vs. Bengals

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson opened the game with a 14-yard pass to Mark Andrews in an important game between AFC North rivals. But it quickly went south when Baltimore was delivered a big blow in the first quarter of its “Thursday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Andrews suffered an ankle injury on a tackle from linebacker Logan Wilson that left him writing in pain on the field. The Pro-Bowl tight end remained down momentarily before he walked off the field alongside with training staff with a heavy limp. Andrews quickly went to the blue medical tent before going the locker room. The Ravens ruled him out for the remainder of the game. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Andrews has been an important part to Baltimore’s offense with 43 catches, 521 yards and six touchdowns this season. The Ravens and Bengals are first and fourth in the AFC North, respectively, and Cincinnati is looking to bounce back after having its four-game win streak snapped in Week 10 against the Houston Texans. The extent of Andrews’ injury is unclear, but losing him for any amount of time would be detrimental to the Ravens.

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3entertainment

Hottest winter theater tickets in Boston

Cold weather, hot emotions. Dark nights, bright lights. Explore artistic poles this winter in the Boston theater scene. There will be shows with silly pop music, riffs on classic literature, ballet, puppets, teen dramas, and haunting intimacy. “Trouble in Mind,” Jan. 12 – Feb. 4, Lyric Stage Black actress Wiletta Mayer is set to take Broadway by storm in 1955. But stereotypes and racism follow her through her debut in a supposedly progressive play by a white writer. Funny, warm, and cutting, “Trouble in Mind” is a backstage look at the theater of the past that resonates in the present. Lyricstage.com “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” Jan. 16 – Feb. 4, Citizens Bank Opera House Here we are now! Entertain us! The fever dream, sugar rush, glitz and glam of Baz Luhrmann’s film has been put on stage. And everybody loves it. The winner of 10 Tonys comes to life with help from the catalogs of Madonna, Beyonce, Gaga, Britney, Adele, Elton, and many, many, many more. Boston.broadway.com “A Case for the Existence of God,” Jan. 26 – Feb. 17, the Calderwood Pavilion Heartbreaking, humorous and heavy, playwright Samuel D. Hunter’s work takes place in an Idaho office cubicle where mortgage broker Keith and yogurt plant worker Ryan connect over their infant daughters. Ryan, white and divorced, tries to build stability for his daughter while Keith, a Black, gay foster father works to adopt his foster child. speakeasystage.com “Moby Dick,” Jan. 23 – 28, Emerson Paramount Center Director Yngvild Aspeli and Norwegian theater company Plexus Polaire present Herman Melville’s masterpiece in a wild and thrilling new way. The production sets sail with seven actors, 50 puppets, video projections, a drowned orchestra and one monstrous whale. artsemerson.org “John Proctor is the Villain,” Feb. 8 – March 10, the Calderwood Pavilion Playwright Kimberly Belflower uses Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” as a window into the lives of teen girls. As a class of high school students in a small town in the South dive into the play, they wrestle with love, teen drama, and sex (or at least sex ed). In their exploration they learn about their own strengths and determination. Smart and sharp, humorous and heartfelt, this play is a snapshot of a generation growing up. Huntingtontheatre.org Winter Experience, Feb. 22 – March 3, Citizens Bank Opera House The Boston Ballet reinvents Marius Petipa’s “Raymonda” erasing outdated and offensive caricatures. This new, one-act version is paired with two works by Helen Pickett, world premiere “SISU” and 2007 Boston Ballet commission “Petal.” bostonballet.org “Exception To The Rule,” March 7 – 17, the Modern Theatre Six Black students navigate violence, bullying, and romance in detention in a struggling city high school in a production that asks if we are failing kids considered to be failures. The Front Porch Arts Collective teams with Northeastern University and Suffolk University for Dave Harris’ “Exception To The Rule.” Frontporcharts.org

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0business

Is the Holiday Shopping Season Going to Be a Success? The Answer Is Murky.

“That’s what will determine the winners and losers as we get through the rest of the holiday season,” Matthew Shay, chief executive of the National Retail Federation, a trade group, said on a recent conference call. The N.R.F. kept its forecast that holiday sales — from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 — would grow 3 to 4 percent this year. That forecast isn’t adjusted for inflation. Neither are the early readings of sales over the weekend. Mastercard, for example, said sales both in stores and online rose 2.5 percent on Nov. 24, from a year earlier. But with consumer goods — excluding food and fuel — rising at an annual rate of around 4 percent, that suggests that retailers aren’t necessarily moving more merchandise. “We think sales were not strong; they were so-so, to the point of being mediocre,” said Craig Johnson, the founder of the retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners. His firm estimated that sales for the four-day period starting on Black Friday and ending on Cyber Monday was $94.2 billion, up about 2.5 percent from last year. Like Mastercard’s estimate, the retail consultancy forecast that — adjusted for inflation — sales slipped slightly, Mr. Johnson said. Some large retailers seem to be prepared for the slowdown in demand. Companies like Target and Macy’s have reported that they’ve cut inventory levels in recent quarters, and that may put them in a better position to profit even if demand is weaker, according to Edward Yruma, an analyst at the investment bank Piper Sandler. If stores have too much inventory on hand, they may have to cut prices more than expected, which would erode their profits. “Really for the first time in four quarters, we are seeing retailers get inventories better aligned with sales,” Mr. Yruma said. “That’s allowing them to have on-plan promotions.”

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2culture

Dear Annie: Should I warn friends I wont be giving presents this year?

Dear Annie: I am about to get married to a woman I am still madly in love with, five years after we first met. Within two months after our first date, we told each other we were in love with each other and wanted to date each other exclusively. Yet, within four months, she was lying to me, going off for a night here and a night there, claiming to visit her sister, but actually staying with a married man she’s known since high school — a man with whom, she has admitted to me, she cheated on her late husband. During our first year of dating, she tried reassuring me that it’s “emotional, not physical.” Is that supposed to be better?! I told her she knows how I feel, and I’d appreciate her not talking to this man, at this point. Yet, one day she was showing me something on her phone and accidentally showed me photos of them together. I looked at her phone later and saw the photos were dated recently. She lied to me about her whereabouts on those days. I have confronted her about her ongoing relationship with this man. She refuses to admit they still see each other. We have lots of years and dating histories under both our belts. I realize that. I am not trying to control her, but I am also not willing to share her — not in this way. Is it wrong to ask to see her phone records to see if she is still talking and texting with him before I say “I do”? Is just having the question in my head enough that I should call it off? — Looking for Information Dear Looking for Information: Reviewing her call logs might provide you with temporary relief, but it wouldn’t actually heal the fractured trust. In fact, in the long term it could just make things worse, by reinforcing a dynamic where you feel compelled to play private investigator to quell any suspicions. Unfortunately, it does sound as though your suspicions are well-founded. It’s OK for our significant others to have friends of the opposite sex or even to be platonic friends with exes. But there is a difference between a friendship and an emotional affair. It sounds like your fiancee is swept up in the latter and has been for some time. Given her history with this man, it’s reasonable that you would feel uncomfortable with her spending time with him. It’s hurtful that she continues to do so after you’ve expressed your discomfort. And the fact that she lies about seeing him — that is indeed major cause for pause. Unless you can say “I do” with all your heart, then it’s better not to say it. Dear Annie: I have always been a giver and enjoy making people happy. I remember everyone’s birthdays with cards and gifts. My Christmas list seems to grow longer every year. Most of the recipients are out of town, which means expensive mailing postage. I live in constant credit card debt. How can I cut back on or eliminate gifts altogether without offending anyone? Do I send a “notice” at the beginning of the year as a heads-up so they won’t send me anything throughout the year? Please help me. — Broke Not Cheap Dear Broke: The point of a gift is to let someone know you were thinking of them. Toward that end, a thoughtfully written card is just as good — and often even better — than a material present. I don’t think it warrants an official notice. When you talk to close friends and family on the phone, be honest with them: Let them know you’re trying to pay off some debt and will be cutting back on gift-giving this year. Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind. “How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

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4politics

Maine secretary of state says Donald Trump cannot appear on ballot

Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide whether Trump remains eligible to continue his campaign. The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a December ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That decision has been stayed until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether Trump is barred by the Civil War-era provision, which prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The Trump campaign said it would appeal Bellows’ decision to Maine’s state court system, and it is likely that the nation’s highest court will have the final say on whether Trump appears on the ballot there and in the other states. In Oregon, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said last month she would not bar Trump from appearing on primary ballots after receiving legal guidance from the state’s department of justice. Bellows found that Trump could no longer run for his prior job because his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol violated Section 3, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” Bellows made the ruling after some state residents, including a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, challenged Trump’s position on the ballot. “I do not reach this conclusion lightly,” Bellows wrote in her 34-page decision. “I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.” The Trump campaign immediately slammed the ruling. “We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. Thursday’s ruling demonstrates the need for the nation’s highest court, which has never ruled on Section 3, to clarify what states can do. While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided. That’s in contrast to Colorado, which Trump lost by 13 percentage points in 2020 and where he wasn’t expected to compete in November if he wins the Republican presidential nomination. In her decision, Bellows acknowledged that the Supreme Court will probably have the final word but said it was important she did her official duty. That won her praise from a group of prominent Maine voters who filed the petition forcing her to consider the case. “Secretary Bellows showed great courage in her ruling, and we look forward to helping her defend her judicious and correct decision in court. No elected official is above the law or our constitution, and today’s ruling reaffirms this most important of American principles,” Republican Kimberly Rosen, independent Thomas Saviello and Democrat Ethan Strimling said in a statement.

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3entertainment

How to watch Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season 4 free Nov. 21

Happy Holidays! The latest standings have been announced as of Monday, November 27th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Boston Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve! The 2023 Regional Awards honor regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2023. Winners will be announced in January! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve! This year the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards are bigger and better than ever, including over 100 cities across America, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia! 2023 BroadwayWorld Boston Standings - 11/27/23 Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance (Non-Professional) Donnie Norton & Steve Bass - A SWINGIN' AFFAIR BIG BAND - The Company Theatre 22% Abby Mueller - UNBREAKABLE - Break a Leg Theater Works 13% Steve Bass - A SWINGIN' AFFAIR - The Company Theatre 13% Harry Ohlson - UNBREAKABLE - Break a Leg Theater Works 8% Daniel Webber - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 7% Casey Hatch - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Jon DiPrima - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 6% James Jackson Jr - JAMES JACKSON JR SINGS! - Post Office Cafe 6% Jo Brisbane - MOD HOLLYWOOD! TUNES FROM A TOWN WITHOUT PITY - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 6% Erin Maitland - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 5% Ken Kawa - THOROUGHLY MODERN MUSICALS - Case Theatre Boosters 5% Letta Neely - PULLING IT ALL INTO THE CURRENT - A Revolution of Values Theatre Project 3% Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance (Professional) Kelli O'Hara - BROADWAY IN WORCESTER PRESENTS KELLI O'HARA - JMAC 15% Sarah deLima - THE LADIES WHO LUNCH - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 13% Jessie Mueller and Seth Rudetsky - BROADWAY IN WORCESTER PRESENTS JESSIE MUELLER AND SETH RUDETSKY - Prior Performing Arts Center 13% Yewande Odetoyinbo - UPLIFT CONCERT - Reagle Music Theatre 11% Allison Case - WOMEN IN MUSIC - Firehouse Center for the Arts 11% Paul Rescigno and Robbie Rescigno - THE RESCIGNOS: FRANKLINCENSE - THE BLACK BOX 8% James Jackson Jr - ON BROADWAY... & MORE - Provincetown Theater 6% Jimmy Tingle - JIMMY TINGLE TONIGHT! - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 6% Robert Saoud - MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 5% Serge Clivio - SERGE CLIVIO: JOY LIVE - Regent Theatre 3% Eden Casteel - KAHN ARTIST - Seaglass Theater Company 2% Maddie Lam - CANDELIGHT CONCERT - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 2% Julia Watkins - ELECTRIFY THE NIGHT - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 2% Natalja Sticco - ECHOES OF MY HEART - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% BK Davis - LIVE - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Tereza Kralova - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Natalja Sticco - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Max Dread Minaya - NOMENEE/PERFORMANCE - Performance 1% Ondrej Potucek - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 0% Best Choreography Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 19% Brad Reinking - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 14% Will Fafard Jr. - THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 9% DJ Kostka - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Sydney T. Grant - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 7% Jen Bertolino, Susan Chebookjian, Di Longtin, Suzanne Neuman, and Karen Rogers - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 7% Thayne Jasperson - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 7% Brad Reinking - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Erin Verina - HEATHERS - Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 5% Brad Reinking - GREASE THE MUSICAL - Riverside Theatre Works 3% Teri Shea - THE WORLD GOES ROUND - Cotuit Center for the Arts 3% Lauren Ambrose - FOOTLOOSE - Broken Leg Productions 3% P.J. Terranova - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - Burlington players 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 3% Best Choreography Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Dylan Kerr - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 12% Tyler Hanes - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 12% Taavon Gamble - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 9% Taryn Herman - PIPPIN - Firehouse Arts Center 9% Rachel Bertone - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 9% Daniel Forest Sullivan - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 7% Connor Gallagher - BEETLEJUICE - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Larry Sousa - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - Wheelock Family Theater 6% Ilyse Robbins - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 6% Al Blackstone - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 5% Julia Deter - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 4% Taavon Gamble - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Brooklyn Toli - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Rick Faugno - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 3% Kenny Ingram - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Patrick O'Neill - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Saxon Pierce - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 0% Best Costume Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Rachel Padula-Shufelt - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 25% Paulie Devlin - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 13% Lisa Belsky - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 10% Laura Dillon - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 10% Meg McEvoy-Duane - CINDERELLA - Break a Leg Theater Works 10% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 6% Carol Sherry - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Leslie Held - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 5% Anna Silva - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 5% Kat Lawrence - ROMEO & JULIET - CSC’s Stage2 4% Bridget Austin-Weiss - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Anna Silva - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Best Costume Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Merrie Whitney - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 11% Kelly Baker - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 10% Emerald City Costumes - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 9% Sydney Hawes - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 8% Catherine Stramer - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 8% Rebecca Shannon Butler - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 8% Kelly Baker - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 6% Rachel Padula-Shufelt - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Emerald City Theatrical - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 5% Gail Astrid Buckley - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Kat Lawrence - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 5% Nancy Leary - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Jennifer Paar - SENSE & SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 4% Chelsea Kerl Phelps - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 4% Jennifer Paar - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% David R. Gammons - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 2% Jimmy Johansmeyer - MARY POPPINS - Penobscot Theatre 2% Seth Bodie - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Hunter Gannet - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Best Dance Production (Professional) THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 41% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 18% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 16% JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 12% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 10% FOXY - Kairos Dance Theater 3% Best Direction Of A Musical (Non-Professional) Zoe Bradford & Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 11% Zoe Bradford - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 9% Alexandra Dietrich - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 8% Brad Reinking & Stefani Wood - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 8% Michael Jay & Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 6% Vito Abate - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% Corey Cadigan - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 5% Adam Joy - SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 5% Erin verina and Kristy Errera-solomon - HEATHERS - Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 4% Zoe Bradford - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 4% Dana Siegal - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 4% Laura Marie Duncan - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 4% Wesley Savick - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% Kyle Wrentz & Healy Sammis - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 3% Steve Ross - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 3% Terry Brady - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 3% Amy Kaser - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 3% Art Devine - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% John Kennedy - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% P.J. Terranova - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 2% Jennifer Hemphill - ROCK OF AGES - Theatre workshop Nantucket 1% Donna Wresinski - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 1% Holly Hansen - GREASE THE MUSICAL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 1% Donna Wresinski - THE WORLD GOES ROUND - Cotuit Center for the Arts 0% Best Direction Of A Musical (Professional) Maddie Roth - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 9% Raye Lynn Mercer - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 9% Julia Deter - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 8% Alex Timers - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 8% Rachel Bertone - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 8% Paul Daigneault - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 7% Taavon Gamble - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 6% Megan Blouin-Little - JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% Lydia Cochran - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 5% Leigh Barrett - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 5% Gerry McIntyre - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 4% Art Devine - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% Courtney O'Connor - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 4% David Drake - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 3% Courtney O'Connor - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Al Blackstone - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% Elizabeth Bettencourt - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Maura Hanlon - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 2% Joyce Chittick - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 1% James Robinson - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 1% Charles Duke - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 1% Gino DiCapra - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Kenny Ingram - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 1% Patrick O' Neill - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 1% Best Direction Of A Play (Non-Professional) Toni Ruscio - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 28% Michelle Aguillion - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 14% Bryn Boice - ROMEO & JULIET - CSC’s Stage2 13% Judy Hamer - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 13% Jo Brisbane - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 9% Celia Couture - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 6% Maren Caulfield - THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND - The Cannon Theatre 4% Eric Butler - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 4% Donald Sheehan - AUNTIE MAME - True Repertory 3% Kevin Nessman - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 3% Celia Couture - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 1% Greg Allen - PULLING IT ALL INTO THE CURRENT - A Revolution of Values Theatre Project 1% Best Direction Of A Play (Professional) Brooke Snow - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 10% Weylin Symes - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 8% Ali Funkhouser - THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Dawn M Simmons - K-I-S-S-I-N-G - Huntington Theatre 5% Myriam Cyr - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 5% Nick Paone - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 5% Fred Sullivan, Jr. - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Bryn Boice - ROMEO AND JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Eric Tucker - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 4% Joe Couturier - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% John Somers - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% Taibi Magar - THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL - American Repertory Theatre 4% David Drake - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 4% Steven Maler - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 3% Bryn Boice - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Bryn Boice - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 3% Myriam Cyr - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 3% Jessica Holt - SENSE AND SENSIBILTIY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Rosalind Bevan - STEW - Gloucester Stage 2% Melory Mirashrafi - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% David Drake - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Brendan Fox - BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Courtney O'Connor - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Sasha Denisova - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% Paula Plum - LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE - Hub Theatre Company 1% Best Ensemble (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 8% A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 6% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 6% THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 4% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 4% THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 4% AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 4% THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 4% AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 3% WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 3% THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 3% THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 3% PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - The Company Theatre 3% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 2% OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 2% HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 2% NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 2% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 1% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 1% Best Ensemble (Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 6% ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 4% RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 4% THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% FAT HAM - Huntington Theatre 3% ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 3% THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 3% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% MABETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 2% INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 2% SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 2% DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 2% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% CHICKEN AND BISCUITS - Front Porch Arts Collective 2% STEW - Gloucester Stage 2% Best Lighting Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Dean Palmer Jr. - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OEPRA - The Company Theatre 22% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 12% Olivia Sederlund - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 11% Erik Fox - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 8% Madison Gentile - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 8% Mauve Moriarty - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Mark Sherman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 7% Jeff Adelberg - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 6% Jonathan Ryder - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 5% Kasey Sheehan - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 4% Eric Jacobsen - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 4% Erin Trainor - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Matt Guminski - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 2% Best Lighting Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) David Plante - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 12% Nathaniel Packard - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 10% Bretton Reis - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 9% Corey Whittemore - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 8% Amanda Fallon - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Stephen Petrilli - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 5% Phil Kong - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 5% Daisy Long - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% E. Southern & Maximo Grano De Oro - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Michael Wonson - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 4% Frank Meissner Jr. - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Baron E. Pugh - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Matt Guminski - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Amanda Fallon - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Karen Perlow - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 2% JARON HERMANSON - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% Patricia M. Nichols - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% JARON HERMANSON - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 2% Karen Perlow - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Kevin Fulton - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 2% Christopher Ostrom - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 1% Kirk Bookman - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 1% Michael Clark Wonson - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Jason Lynch - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 1% John Salutz - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance (Non-Professional) Melissa Carubia - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 16% Robert McDonough - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 12% Bethany Aiken - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 9% David Flowers - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 6% Eli Bigelow - SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 6% Chris morris - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 6% Stefani Wood - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Amanda Morgan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Alan Freedman - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 5% Pam Wannie - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 5% Elias Condakes - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 5% Robert McDonough - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 5% John Eldridge - THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 5% Jenny Tsai - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 3% Jeff Kimball - THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - The Vokes Players 2% Pamela Wannie - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 2% Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance (Professional) Hallie Wetzell - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 10% Justin Knowlton - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% Amanda Morgan - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center For The Arts 7% Dan Rodriguez - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 6% Steven Bergman - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 6% Dan Rodriguez - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 6% Kris Layton - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 6% Justin Knowlton - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% Jeff Kimball - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 5% Milton Granger - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 5% Scott Storr - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 5% John Thomas - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 4% Luke Molloy - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 4% David Coleman - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - Wheelock Family Theater 3% David Coleman - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 3% Dan Rodriguez - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Michael Ellis Ingram - OMAR - Boston Lyric Opera 3% Matthew Smedal - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% David Coleman - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% Gio Tio - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% David Angus - BLUEBEARDS CASTLE - Boston Lyric Opera 1% Dan Pardo - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 1% Marco Borroni - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Kenny Smith - AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - The Cape Playhouse 1% Mike Stapleton - SERGE CLIVIO: JOY LIVE - Regent Theatre 0% Best Musical (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 11% BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 10% THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 5% THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 5% AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 4% THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 4% THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 4% AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 4% THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 4% WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 4% INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 3% THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 3% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 3% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 3% SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 2% THE FANTASTICKS - Provincetown Theater 2% NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% GREASE THE MUSICAL - Riverside Theatre Works 2% ROCK OF AGES - Theatre workshop Nantucket 2% THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL - Cape Cod Theatre Company 2% CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 2% Best Musical (Professional) BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 10% ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 6% PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 6% JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Citizens Opera House 6% FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 4% ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 4% RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 4% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 4% OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 3% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 2% ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 2% JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 2% PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Best New Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Born To Do This - The Company Theatre 34% THE PONY EXPRESS: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE - Lighthouse Studios: Meehan Family Arts Barn 31% HALLEY’S COMET - Massasoit Theatre Company 13% THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 9% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 8% SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 5% Best New Play Or Musical (Professional) THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 31% THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 16% THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 14% TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 10% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 9% ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 7% THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 7% LIV AT SEA - Harbor Stage Company 4% THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 3% Best Performer In A Musical (Non-Professional) Christie Reading - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 11% Liza Giangrande - BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 10% Keith Robinson - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% Adam Sell - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% Alex Norton - THE PONY EXPRESS: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE - Lighthouse Studios: Meehan Family Arts Barn 6% Reese Racicot - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 6% Max Ripley - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 4% Zoey Roth - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 3% Alex Norton - SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 3% Kindred Moore - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 3% Wil Moser - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Maeve McCluskey - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 2% Jodi Edwards - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% Katie Iafolla - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Kenny Meehan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 2% Andrew Olah - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 2% Emma Walker - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 2% Denise Page - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Diane Meehan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 1% Janet Pohli - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 1% Sean Lally - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - Quigg Creations 1% Zack Johnson - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 1% Marissa Sabella - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 1% Kieran Kelly - PIPPIN - Arlington Friends of the Drama 1% Best Performer In A Musical (Professional) Amanda LoCoco - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 9% Nicki Abare - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 7% Sara Jean Ford - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 7% Yewande Odetoyinbo - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 6% Heidi Blickenstaff - JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Citizens Opera House 6% Jake Siffert - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Eleni Kontzamanys - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Ari Schmidt - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Anthony Teixeira - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% Justin Collette - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 4% Beau Jackett - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 3% Liesie Kelly - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Kayla Shimizu - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Andy Cico - THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Emma Robertson - INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 2% Emily Koch - VIOLET - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Johnny Kuntz - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% Jared Troilo - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 2% E.J. Service - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 2% Nick Paone - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Christopher Chew - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Mary Callanan - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 1% Robert St. Laurence - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Macklin Devine - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 1% Robbie Rescigno - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 1% Best Performer In A Play (Non-Professional) Madeline Bonatti - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 16% Ricky DeSisto - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 9% Missy Potash - STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Aiden O’Neal - INDECENT - Concord Players 8% Jennifer Bean - MISS HOLMES - The Footlight Club 8% Josh Telepman - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 5% Paul Melendy - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 5% Kenny Lockwood - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Ryan Van Buskirk - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 4% Sandra Basile - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 4% Jennifer Shea - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 4% Scott Salley - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 4% Emma Hennessey - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Michael Jay - INDECENT - Concord Players 3% David Foster - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 2% Kimberly Blaise - PERFECT ARRANGEMENT - Quanapowitt Players 2% Robin Shropshire - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 2% Lily Anderson - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 2% Kathy Koerwer - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 2% Craig Chiampa - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 2% Andrew Rhoades - MOON OVER BUFFALO - TCAN 2% Linnea Lyerly - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 1% Glenn A. Pierce - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 1% Best Performer In A Play (Professional) Brayden Toth - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 9% Elena Doyno - THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% Eddie Shields - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 8% Lily Ayotte - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Noah Silverman - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Noah Greenstein - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 5% Thomika Bridwell - CHICKEN AND BISCUITS - Front Porch Arts Collective 5% Jack Greenberg - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Christina Pierro Biggins - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% Tyler Simahk - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 4% Paul Melendy - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Cheryl D. Singleton - STEW - Gloucester Stage 3% Jim Manclark - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Nora Eschenheimer - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Scott Douglas Cunningham - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% Jenn Gambatese - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Sam Brinkley - ONCE - Priscilla Beach Theatre 2% Michael Liebhauser - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 2% Kathleen Pickett - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 2% David Lee Huynh - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% Bonniejean Wilbur - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 1% Lisa Tucker - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Marc Pierre - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Brenda Withers - BETRAYAL - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Kathy McCafferty - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Best Play (Non-Professional) A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 18% INDECENT - Concord Players 13% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 9% A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 9% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 9% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 7% THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 7% DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 5% SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 5% ALL MY SONS - Eventide Theatre Company 5% HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 4% BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 3% AUNTIE MAME - True Repertory 3% MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 2% FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 2% Best Play (Professional) CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 12% THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 9% ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 8% THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 7% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 6% MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 5% INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 3% CHICKEN AND BISCUITS - Front Porch Arts Collective 3% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 3% AS YOU LIKE IT - Actors Shakespeare Project 3% STEW - Gloucester Stage 3% SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% FAIRVIEW - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL - American Repertory Theatre 2% BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 1% ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 1% BETRAYAL - WHAT and Harbor Stage 1% THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 1% JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Best Production of an Opera (Professional) MADAME BUTTERFLY - Boston Lyric Opera 37% OMAR - Boston Lyric Opera 16% CARMEN- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 12% AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 10% LA TRAGÉDIE DE CARMEN - Seaglass Theater Company 5% BLUEBEARDS CASTLE/FOUR SONGS - Boston Lyric Opera 5% VINCERO! - Mystic Side Opera Company 5% TOSCA- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 4% IL TROVATORE- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 3% UN BALLO IN MASCHERA- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Ryan Barrow - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 12% Ryan Barrow - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 7% Ryan Barrow - SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 7% Jeremy Barnett - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% Corey Cadigan, Rod Chandler, Tim Gregor - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 7% Aaron Stolicker - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Mark Roderick - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 6% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 5% Cristina Todesco - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory 5% Ryan Barrow - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 5% Nathan Fogg-DeSisto - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 4% Jennifer Shea - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Richard Chambers - METAMORPHESES - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% Mark Roderick - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 3% Jeffrey Peterson - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 2% Charles Carr - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% Mark Roderick - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 1% Ed Savage - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 1% Andrew Arnault - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 1% Ed Council - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 1% Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Aaron Frongillo - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 11% David Plante - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 8% Justin Lahue - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 8% Trevor Elliott - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 7% Kathy Monthei - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 6% Riw Rakkulchon - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 5% Ryan McGettigan - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 5% David Arsenault - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 5% Peter Colao - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 5% Ellen Rousseau - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 4% Shelley Barish - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 4% Janie Howland - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 4% Baron E. Pugh - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Ryan McGettigan - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 3% Janie E. Howland - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Lindsay Fuori - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Kristen Martino - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 2% Ellen Rousseau - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Christopher Ostrom - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Ryan Howell - AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - The Cape Playhouse 2% Justin Lahue - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Christopher Ostrom - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Allen Moyer - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 2% Irina Kruzhilina - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% ALEXANDER WOODWARD - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 1% Best Sound Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 31% Greg Dana - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 12% Hallie Grace Nowicki - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 11% Ethan Steele - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 9% Michael Jay - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 8% Nick Waterman - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 7% Pat Dzierak - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 6% Robert Passcucci - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 4% Erin Trainor and Jo Brisbane - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 4% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 3% J. Mark Baumhardt - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Ned Bailey-Adams - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 2% Best Sound Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Derek Pisano - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 13% Alex Berg - SOUND OF MUSIC - North Shore Music Theatre 10% Tom Powers - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 10% Jonathan Bell - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 8% Ted Kearnan - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% David Drake - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Alex Berg - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 5% VICTORIA (TOY) DEIORIO - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 5% Dewey Dellay - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 5% David Remedios - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 5% Ash - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 4% David Remedios - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Jason Choquette - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Jason Choquette - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Megan Culley - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 3% Grace Oberhofer - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Jacob Levitan - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Elizabeth Cahill - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Grace Oberhofer - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Brendan F. Doyle - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 2% Dewey Dellay/Andrew Duncan Will - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Jacob Levitan - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Musical (Non-Professional) Christie Reading - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% Ana Viveros - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 7% Dru Daniels - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 6% Alex Norton - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 5% Ts Burnham - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 4% Ben Oehlkers - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 4% Savannah Nosek - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% Aaron Swiniuch - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 4% Mary Mahoney - WORKING - Suffolk Theatre Department 4% Jennifer Glick - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 3% Wil Moser - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 3% Sean Lally - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - Quigg Creations 3% Ariel Sargent - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 2% Demi DiCarlo - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Anne Vohs - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Amanda Vazquez - COMPANY - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Cadie Holbrook - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 2% Eowyn Young - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 2% Bradley Boutcher - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Dani Masterpolo - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 2% Erin Anderson - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 2% Susan Wentworth Austin - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% Timothy Bevens - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 2% Harry Ohlson - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 1% Jon DiPrima - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Musical (Professional) Quinn Kearney - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% Allison Sheppard - JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Boston Opera House 5% Chris Bradley - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Isabella Esler - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 5% Tori Heinlein - SOUND OF MUSIC - North Shore Music Theatre 4% Kathy St. George - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 4% Jen Stearns - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% Jack Mullen - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 4% David Livingston - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 3% Dan Kelly - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Jared Troilo - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Anthony Pires, Jr - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Patrick Falk - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Gavin Davis - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Aimee Doherty - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Christopher Rice-Thomson - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Ali Funkhouser - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Katie Gray - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Julia Anthon - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 2% Brian Demar Jones - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 2% Christina Pierro Biggins - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 2% Davron Monroe - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 2% Jess Andra - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 2% Tyrick Wiltez Jones - VIOLET - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Kayla Shimizu - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 2% Best Supporting Performer In A Play (Non-Professional) Scotty Kippenhan - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 14% Noah Greenstein - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 12% Suzy Cosgrove - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 12% Josh Telepman - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 10% Mike barry - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 9% Allison Rudmann Putnam - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 6% Rama Rodriguez - MEASURE FOR MEASURE - Mass Arts Center 6% Will Dalley - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 4% Nik Kubek - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 4% Lauren Elias - LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE - Hub Theatre Company 3% George Kippenhan - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Erin Thomas-Lopatosky - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Gail Bishop Nessman - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 3% Ian Law - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 2% JoAnn Kaplan - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 2% Nancy Finn - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 2% Kyle Kashgagian - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 2% Gordon Ellis - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 1% Adam Heroux - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Play (Professional) Kim Frigon - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 11% Dan Kelly - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 9% Anjie Parker - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 7% Charley Eastman - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Mary Sapp - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% Jessica Golden - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Zaven Ovian - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 6% June Dever - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 5% JJ Hernández - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 4% Alexander Platt - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 3% Bobbie Steinbach - AS YOU LIKE IT - Actors Shakespeare Project 3% Kari Buckley - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 3% Dan Whelton - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 3% Kelby T. Akin - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 2% Barlow Adamson - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 2% Jadah Carroll - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Josephine Moshiri Elwood - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% CHRISTOPHER TRAMANTANA - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Jihan Haddad - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Debra Wise - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 2% Kenneth Lockwood - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% Nisi Sturgis - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% Laura Scribner - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 1% Brian Owens - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 1% Robert Walsh - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% Best Theatre For Young Audiences Production (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 21% SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 16% CHICAGO - The Company Theatre 14% A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 13% WINNIE THE POOH - Academy of Performing Arts 11% DRAGONS LOVE TACOS - Cape Cod Theatre Company 8% CINDERELLA - Break a Leg Theater Works 6% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 4% FOOTLOOSE - Broken Leg Productions 4% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Best Theatre For Young Audiences Production (Professional) CHICAGO - The Company Theatre 43% JUNIE B. JONES THE MUSICAL - Firehouse Center for the Arts 17% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 12% JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 12% CINDERELLA - Tanglewood Marionettes 11% ROOTS A FARM TO FARM TO CIRCUS SHOW - Payomet 5% Favorite Local Theatre (Non-Professional) The Company Theatre 23% Marblehead Little Theatre 9% The Footlight Club 7% Academy of Performing Arts 5% Triad Theatre Company 5% Quigg Creations 5% The Theatre Institute 4% Yorick Ensemble 4% Concord Players 4% Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Riverside Theatre Works 3% Break a Leg Theater Works 3% Provincetown Theater 3% Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 2% Massasoit Theatre Company 2% Cape Cod Theatre Company 2% Hub Theatre Company 2% Cape Rep Theatre 2% The Hovey Players 2% WCLOC Theater Company 2% TCAN 1% Theatre III 1% The Vokes Players 1% Eventide Theatre Company 1% Arlekin Players 1%

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6sports

Syracuse vs. USF, Boca Raton Bowl: How to watch, TV channel, live stream

Ezekiel Elliott stepped up when the New England Patriots needed him most. With Rhamondre Stevenson out with an injury, Elliott had his biggest game of the season in Thursday night’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He posted a season-high 140 yards from scrimmage. He ran the ball 22 times (another season-high) and led the team with seven catches on the day. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. But the most important number Elliott posted in the box score was: 1. That’s the number of tackles he made. “Probably made one of the most important plays in a game when he tackled that guy on the interception,” offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said. “That was a great hustle play. Can’t say enough about Zeke and what he’s brought to the team this year.” That tackle moments after Bailey Zappe’s interception to Mykal Walker in the second half. Elliott quickly switched from offense to defense, tracking down the Steelers linebacker and likely preventing a touchdown. You can check out the play here. Elliott can be seen tracking down the defender like he was shot out of a cannon, blowing past Patriots teammates to make the play. If Elliott doesn’t make that play, Walker likely has a pick-six there. The tackle may have been the difference in the game. Four plays after the pick, the Patriots defense stuffed the Steelers on fourth down, keeping the lead at 21-10. With the final score being a tight 21-18 margin, it’s easy to see how a pick-six may have swung the game. O’Brien heaped praise on Elliott for his effort on the play -- and translating what the Patriots practice into onfield results. “He’s a football player. So he realizes the play’s never over. So he plays to the echo of the whistle and he’s a football player. So he knew that right there that turned into a defensive play for him. He had to go chase the guy down. When you watch it on film, he took a really good angle on the play. We practice that. We do drills like that and I think that that paid off for us. Obviously, with our defense, they were able to hold them there to no points.”

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3entertainment

Live Wire: Classical jazz featured at MLK Jr. celebration

If you want to get 2024 off to a distinctive musical start, Springfield Symphony Hall has a perfect concert for you. On Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m., the venue will hold a “Classics and Jazz – Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration,” featuring Mebrakh Haughton-Johnson on clarinet and Jason Flowers on piano. The evening’s music will be conducted by Damien Sneed. The concert will showcase several orchestral pieces composed by Black Americans, starting with works by two women composers, Florence Price (1887-1953) and Margaret Bonds (1913-1972). The first part of the night will feature Price’s “Colonial Dance” and “Concert Overture No. 1,” along with “Bond’s Montgomery Variations.” The second half of the concert will focus on the indigenous American musical genre, jazz, with music written or arranged by James P. Johnson (1894-1955), William Grant Still (1895-1978), David Baker (1931-2016), Duke Ellington (1899-1974) and the conductor, Sneed. The latter half will feature Baker’s “Jazz Suite for Clarinet and Orchestra: Three Ethnic Dances,” a fusion of jazz and classical music, “Yamekraw” (originally composed by highly influential jazz pianist James P. Johnson) which was later orchestrated by Still, and the world premiere of Sneed’s “A Symphonic Homage to The Duke,” a tribute to Ellington. Tickets range from $25 to $75 and are available on Springfield Symphony Hall’s website.

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6sports

Jaylen Brown injury: Celtics star leaves game after LeBron James collision

Sports Betting Dime provides exclusive sports betting content to MassLive.com, including real-time odds, picks, analysis and sportsbook offers to help sports fans get in on the action. Please wager responsibly. Our ESPN BET promo code has the highest value of any guaranteed bonus. Click here to sign up with our promo code MASS and gain $250 in bonus bets for Week 17. The first game of the week is between the Jets and Browns on Thursday night. Register with our ESPN BET promo code MASS and make your first $10 wager on Thursday Night Football. No matter the result, you will be sent a $250 bonus. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. The Browns are 7.5-point favorites against the Jets on Thursday night. Joe Flacco has been just what this team needed. Cleveland has won three-straight games and will be a tough out in the playoffs. Click here to sign up with our ESPN BET promo code MASS. Start with a $10 wager on any game to receive $250 in bonus bets. Use our ESPN BET promo code for Jets vs. Browns ESPN BET promo code MASS Welcome offer Bet $10, get $250 bonus Last confirmed December 28, 2023 Verified by Alex Payton, Sports Betting Dime The Jets couldn’t stay in contention for Aaron Rodgers to debate a return. They are now without Zach Wilson, so Trevor Siemian will be making the start for New York. He had some success last week in a win, but this Cleveland defense is going to be a different challenge. The total is set at 34.5 points. I’m taking the Browns to cover the 7.5-point spread at home. I also like David Njoku to score a touchdown for Cleveland. He’s been one of Flacco’s favorite targets in the red zone. His odds are at +180 to score any anytime touchdown. The odds are at +550 for Njoku to score the first TD of the game. How to enter our ESPN BET promo code MASS for the $250 bonus All new customers of ESPN BET Massachusetts and other eligible states can use this promo code. Take these steps to claim a bonus for Week 17. Since this is the original welcome offer that it released for launch, it may be lower in value soon. Click here to register with our ESPN BET promo code MASS and enter the info needed to confirm your identity. Download the ESPN BET app for your iPhone or Android and enable location services. Deposit $10+ with an accepted banking method, like PayPal or Venmo. Place a $10 wager on Thursday Night Football. Win or lose, you’ll receive a $250 bonus. It will be (5) $50 bonus bets, so you can use it for multiple NFL Week 17 games. More Week 17 games and odds boosts We have a great game set for Saturday between the Lions and Cowboys. Detroit just clinched the NFC North for the first time in 29 years. Dallas is still trying to win the NFC East, but the Eagles have the slight lead. Note that there aren’t any games on Monday this week, so we have a full slate on Sunday. You will find new odds boosts this weekend for certain markets. Sign up here to use our ESPN BET promo code MASS. Start with a $10 wager on the Jets vs. Browns to receive $250 in bonus bets. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Get the latest sports betting news, advice and promos sent straight to your inbox. Enter your email here: Think you know Patriots football? Play the MassLive.com Prop Bet Showdown for a chance to win prizes! If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org to speak with a trained specialist to receive support. Specialists are available 24/7. Services are available in multiple languages and are free and confidential. 21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.

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3entertainment

From Roommates to Friends to Turbo Twins

It was Verity Jean Louise Elks who first asked to make things official. Her relationship with Benjamin Oliver Brian Riches had moved quickly. Within weeks of moving to Los Angeles in the spring of 2019, Ms. Elks was fully integrated into her fellow Australian’s social circle. In July, the pair were having drinks at a friend’s house in Oceanside — a surfer’s paradise south of Orange County — when she decided to pitch Mr. Riches on becoming her boyfriend. Initially, he accepted. “‘Guys, me and Benny are in a relationship,’” Ms. Elks recalled telling everyone. “Then on the car ride home, Benny was like, ‘No, no, no. I take it back. I can’t do it.’” It was complicated. Ms. Elks wasn’t just dating Mr. Riches at the time — she was also living with him. Laid off from her public relations job in New York City six months before, Ms. Elks had decided she could not face the East Coast both cold and unemployed. Instead, she returned to Australia, where it was summer, to surf and plot her move to Los Angeles. By the time Ms. Elks returned stateside in April 2019, she had a job secured and a room with a friend of a friend in Venice. That person was Mr. Riches. Mr. Riches, 32, was impressed by her sense of style. “I still remember the first minute I met her,” he said. “I just remember thinking that she was so cool.”

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3entertainment

Why Mister Grouse Is the Friendliest Bird in the Forest

Ridgefield, Conn. | $458,000 A one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage built in 1950, on a 0.1-acre lot This house is part of a small community of homes with easy access to Mamanasco Lake, where popular activities include kayaking, swimming and bird-watching. It is about a 10-minute drive from small shops and restaurants, a theater and a post office in the center of town. The train station in Danbury is about 20 minutes away; from there, trains make the trip to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan in about two hours. Driving to Manhattan can take a little less than two hours, depending on traffic. Hartford is about 90 minutes away. Size: 560 square feet Price per square foot: $818 Indoors: The house is set back from the street, and the main entrance is to the side, off a gravel courtyard. The front door, sheltered by a small portico with decorative trim, opens into a living area with high ceilings and walls finished in light wood. The sitting area, to the left, is surrounded by windows and has space for a small sofa and a coffee table. The kitchen, to the right, has stainless steel appliances, a stone counter that extends to form a small breakfast bar and glass doors that open to the back of the property.

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4politics

Democrats Fret That Bidens Power Players Are Not at His Campaign Base

With less than 10 months to go until the 2024 election, the nerve center of President Biden’s bid for a second term is stationed not at his campaign’s headquarters in Delaware but within feet of the Oval Office. The president and his chief strategist, Mike Donilon, have repeatedly discussed when to move him over to the campaign — perhaps after the 2022 midterm elections, then after the 2023 off-year elections and again at the end of 2023. Each time, no move happened after the president told aides he wanted to keep Mr. Donilon within walking distance. Anita Dunn, the longtime Democratic operative who stepped in to help revive Mr. Biden’s fledging operation four years ago, is devising the re-election message again, even as she oversees communications at the White House. Jen O’Malley Dillon, Mr. Biden’s deputy White House chief of staff and former campaign manager, is also splitting her day job with her role as one of the most powerful voices in the campaign. So far, almost none of the people in the president’s inner circle have left for campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., prompting some donors and strategists to worry that too much of Mr. Biden’s team remains cloistered inside the White House. Less than a year before Election Day, the president has a campaign with two distinct centers of gravity, advisers juggling two jobs at once, and months of internal debate about when to consolidate everyone in one place.

fc943623762b46768bfd3dcd0390c05f

6sports

Bruins Jim Montgomery explains why he sat Matt Poitras

BOSTON — Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said rookie Matt Poitras’ absence from the lineup for Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden was part of a calculated plan. Poitras wasn’t benched as much as he was rested for the game according to Montgomery, who said the Bruins are trying to manage the 19-year-old’s workload. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. “It’s something we’ve been discussing. We’re trying to put him in situations to have a lot of success,” Montgomery said. “He’ll be back in the lineup on Saturday. This is an opportunity for him to build some stretngth and some rest into his program. “It’s a grind. It’s a tough league. This is the way we think he can help the Bruins the most and help his game the most,” Montgomery continued. “This has been in the works for a little while as we finish nine games in 16 days.” Montgomery said he didn’t think Poitras had hit a wall. “I don’t think he’s hit the wall. It’s a new season and he’s 19 years old,” he said. “In the hardest league, he’s playing really well for us. We’re trying to put him in situations where he has more juice.” Through 24 games, Poitras has five goals and six assists and his 11 points are seventh on the Bruins. But had just two points in his last six games and has struggled all season on faceoffs.

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3entertainment

How a Deerfield Academy student became a star of blockbuster film The Holdovers

DEERFIELD — Two years ago, Catriona Hynds, Deerfield Academy’s director of theater, got an email from a team casting a movie. “I often wonder what would have happened if that email had gone to spam,” Hynds said. “Or I had thought, ‘This sounds a little dodgy,’ and ignored it.” Director Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” was being filmed at several Massachusetts schools, including Deerfield Academy. In the comedy-drama set in the ‘70s at a fictional elite boarding school, “Barton Academy,” Paul Giamatti plays an ornery history teacher who has to supervise Angus Tully, an angsty teenage student, over Christmas break because Tully unexpectedly has no place to go. Also spending the vacation at school is its head cook, played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who recently lost her son in the Vietnam War. Inevitably, the three lonely people bond. The casting team had already auditioned actors to play Tully, and decided to try looking for actors at the schools they were planning to film at, Hynds said. Some schools didn’t respond, Payne told Town & Country magazine. They set up auditions for a group of about a dozen students at Deerfield Academy. Before Dominic Sessa auditioned, Hynds talked to the team. “I actually went into the room and basically said, ‘You know, the kid that they’re looking for is just about to walk in,’” she said. Sessa had much lower expectations. He thought maybe he could score a part as an extra. “I just thought, ‘Maybe if it goes well, I can sit at a desk or something,’” he told the Sioux City Journal. Hynds was right. Though Sessa had never acted on screen before — his experience was only on stages — he got the part after several rounds of auditions, Hynds said. “They could see immediately how fearless Dominic is — he just jumps right in and he’s courageous and creative. I was really happy that they chose him,” Hynds said. “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more hard working and more professional kid.” Hynds, also chair of Deerfield’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, remembered when she first saw Sessa audition as a sophomore for a role in “Antigone,” a Greek play. “I knew immediately when he opened his mouth in his first audition that we were dealing with someone special,” she said. “He has just this incredible stage presence.” “The Holdovers” casting team had seen 800 actors before Sessa auditioned, Payne recently told the Sioux City Journal. “When I was coming down to the final decision, (star Paul Giamatti) was generous enough to read with both of the (finalists) via Zoom. We agreed Dominic was the one,” he told the outlet. Payne said Sessa was “just born to be a film actor.” Sessa, now on leave from school at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, hopes to next take on new roles next. “Moving forward, I definitely want to be stretching my legs and playing things that are a little further from my own life experience,” he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That’s what makes acting fun.” Bit players Deerfield Academy students, faculty and staff are in the background of the film, and another student was cast in a small speaking role, Hynds said. Will Sussbauer, an Ashfield resident, was cast as a student who delivers a line about Cobb salad early in the film. The movie was filmed in a number of locations across Massachusetts, from Boston to Deerfield. Several other western Massachusetts towns are depicted in the film, including Gill, Shelburne Falls and Buckland, according to the Massachusetts Film Office. Hynds thinks that has encouraged western Massachusetts moviegoers to watch the film. “I’ve seen it a couple of times and I was sitting behind a couple who really enjoyed pointing out .. ‘Oh, there’s the Main Street in Shelburne Falls and there’s that,’” she said. “I think it’s been great for the local community to see themselves up on the screen as well.” Sessa sees “The Holdovers” as a movie with broad appeal. “There’s nothing you need to understand beforehand going in, and you can just enjoy watching these characters live their lives and discover new things about each other,” Sessa told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Hopefully it inspires people to have that willingness to empathize with real people in their own lives.”

3fb78bf124fb78fd6112c6a0f2047359

6sports

Chapman hits winning double as Blue Jays complete sweep of Red Sox with 3-2 victory

TORONTO — Matt Chapman provided a cheerful ending to a wild and wacky 10-game homestand for his Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Chapman's walkoff double off the centre field wall gave the Blue Jays a 3-2 win to complete a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox (74-76). The three wins arrived on the heels of a four-game sweep by the Texas Rangers earlier in the week and a three-game sweep by Toronto (83-67) against the Kansas City Royals the previous weekend. "It's kind of been how this whole year has been," Chapman said. "A lot of ups and downs for us. To get swept, then sweep somebody. "With how precious all these wins are, it was nice that we're able to flush that Texas series." With a dozen games remaining in the regular season, the Blue Jays hold an American League wild-card spot after Cleveland swept the Rangers and the Seattle Mariners dropped the first two of their three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The level-headed Chapman was not immune to the recent roller-coaster ride. As he attempts to regain his form after time on the injured list because of a troublesome left middle finger, manager John Schneider sent Cavan Biggio to pinch-hit in Chapman's place in the ninth inning on Saturday. Biggio delivered with a single and wound up scoring the tying run. "I've helped this team win a lot of games," Chapman said. "I have no ego, so I'm OK with the decision." Chapman's hit off reliever Garret Whitlock (5-5) gave the Blue Jays their sixth win in a row against Boston after dropping the first seven games against their AL East rivals earlier in the season. The game-winning hit scored Biggio, who reached base with a one-out single before 41,876 at Rogers Centre. Rafael Devers tied the game in the top half of the ninth inning with a solo homer to left field off Erik Swanson (4-2). "I love the fact (Chapman) got the hit today," Schneider said. "I think (Toronto pitcher) Chris Bassitt said it yesterday. We have the guys, and he's one of them. "So hopefully, today is a good little stepping-stone for him." The Blue Jays led 1-0 after the second inning and 2-0 after Daulton Varsho's solo shot to right field with one out in the fifth. Biggio reached safely in the second inning with an infield hit up the middle with one out. He advanced to third base on Chapman's double down the left-field line and scored on Kevin Kiermaier's sacrifice fly to left field. Canadian starter Nick Pivetta was on the hook for both runs. But the Victoria righty lasted 6 1/3 innings, yielding only four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. In the span between the Chapman double and Varsho homer, the 30-year-old Pivetta did not surrender a hit and retired nine of 10 Blue Jays. Toronto lefty Hyun Jin Ryu pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout ball, giving up six hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks on 83 pitches. He proved masterful in escaping jams. In the second and third innings, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with no outs, but Ryu rallied for three consecutive outs on both occasions. He also left a Red Sox runner at third base in the fourth with an inning-ending double play. Boston left 12 runners on base and batted 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Pablo Reyes knocked in Boston's first run with two out in the seventh. Toronto reliever Genesis Cabrera had control problems, walking Rob Refsnyder and hitting Devers. Refsnyder scored on Reyes's single to centre. ON DECK The Blue Jays have Monday off before beginning a six-game road trip. Toronto opens with a three-game set against the New York Yankees and concludes against the Tampa Bay Rays. Lefty Yusei Kikuchi (9-6) will face Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt (9-8) in the series opener on Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2023. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press

a1149098a5a46bd48ff97ff5d83eb5fe

3entertainment

Your guide to First Night Boston 2024

First Night festivities will take place as far away as Virginia and California this year, but Boston is where it all started. It’s a night that celebrates artistry in many forms from ice-sculpting to button design. First Night has been a part of Boston for nearly half a century, but as with all traditions, there are notable changes from year to year. We’ve got your guide to help you make the most out of whatever part of 2023 we have left! Where to go First night is on the move this year! Don’t go to Copley Square expecting last year’s celebrations. The main stage will be at the newly renovated City Hall Plaza with other events in the surrounding area: The Greenway, Columbus Park, Improv Asylum and Boston Common. Getting there As with any large event held in a metropolitan area, event organizers discourage driving and encourage public transportation. Luckily for attendees, the events are close to several T stops and not too far off from Back Bay for those taking the commuter rail. To get to City Hall Plaza, use nearby stops Government Center (Blue Line and Green Line), Haymarket (Orange Line and Green Line), and State Street (Orange Line and Blue Line). The T will operate on a Sunday schedule with increased service starting in the late afternoon. Visit the MBTA's website for more travel information. Whether you’re planning to drive or still figuring out your travel plans, you may want to consider the scheduled parking restrictions and road closures. You can view a list of traffic advisories for more details, and advanced reservations for parking are available through SpotHero. How do I purchase tickets? You don’t! Since 2015, First Night Boston has been entirely free to the public. Programming highlights Get a full nights’ sleep going into New Year’s Eve because starting at 11 a.m., there’s a 13-hour lineup of events, attractions, entertainment and more. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Free admission to the Mapparium Globe, the three-story stained glass depiction of the Earth. This is the furthest activity from the main stage, so it’s a good place to visit on your way in or out of the city. 11:11 a.m. – Performances start at City Hall Plaza and continue for much of the day. The first act is music group Sweet Harmony. Check the schedule for a full list of acts. Noon - 3 p.m. – Free rides at the Greenway Carousel. 1 p.m. – The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association will provide supplies for arts and crafts on the second floor of City Hall Plaza. Activities include calligraphy, face painting, games, snowflake making. 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Hourly shows at Improv Asylum for audiences of all ages. 6 p.m. – Join drummers, puppeteers, and firetrucks on a downtown parade starting at City Hall Plaza and ending at Boston Common, where more festivities will take place. Be sure to stop by Frog Pond for the annual skating spectacular. 7 p.m. – The first of two firework shows of the evening. The early show will take place over Boston Common. 7:20 p.m. - midnight – Music continues at City Hall Plaza. The official countdown to midnight begins at 11:30 p.m. with rapper Sammy Adams to help ring in the new year. Midnight – Have your cheers, then look toward the harbor for a view of the midnight fireworks display. Do’s And don’ts Do use public transportation. Do speak up or call 911 if you see dangerous activities. Do be prepared for weather on the colder and perhaps wet side. Do stay home if you're experiencing cold- or flu-like symptoms. Do be respectful of families, older citizens and people with disabilities at the events or when you're riding the T. Don't drink alcohol or smoke marijuana at any of the events. Don't drive if you've consumed alcohol. New Years is among the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road. Don't bring your own fireworks. (They are illegal in Massachusetts.) What’s going on outside of Boston? Not making it to Boston for First Night? There’s plenty going on around the rest of the state. To the east, Chatham is celebrating its own First Night. To the west, Northampton will mark its own First Night as well. Both will feature their own slate of performances and celebrations.

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1crime

Up to 40 antique wooden benches valued at more than $100K stolen from Springfield's Union Station

SPRINGFIELD - Union Station's rebirth is underway, but the chance at recapturing the retro-elegance and charm of the original may have - literally and figuratively - left the station. Between 30 and 40 of the station's historic wooden benches, each roughly 18 feet long and weighing 1,000 pounds with a value of up $100,000 on the antiques market, have disappeared, officials admit. "They were apparently stolen," said Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer. "Not 'apparently' - they were stolen." The benches can be glimpsed in a number of file photos in The Republican archives with those dated July 2, 2014 and Jan. 16, 2015 depicting at least eight benches on the construction site. "It's very strange that the benches walked away," said Christopher Moskal, executive director for the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, which has owned Union Station since 1989 and is leading its recent renovation. Where the benches went remains a mystery, as is who took them from a sealed renovation site and how. The station building remained closed for more than 20 years, but closest anyone can give as an answer to when some of the benches went missing was 2012, prior to the start of the ongoing construction project. What is known is that minus the original benches, Union Station may have to be fitted with more modern furniture when it opens as expected in December. And it also means is that Springfield, for all its emphasis on preserving Union Station's history, may well miss out the chance to create a modern transportation center that still harkens back to the golden age of rail travel. Anyone who has ever been to refurbished train stations in New Haven, Baltimore or Los Angeles knows what that means. "That's the frustrating part of all this," Kennedy said. "To say it is a disappointment would be an understatement." Moskal said no one knows when the benches were stolen but they figure it was sometime during May 2012. At that time, SRDA staff and historical consultants were going through Union Station regularly in advance of the start of construction to take inventory of what artifacts were there and determining whether they were worth preserving. One week the benches were there, Moskal said, and the next week they were gone. Not all of the benches were gone, he said. It was just the ones that were worth anything. "All the good benches were gone," Moskal said. He described the ones that remained as "pieces of benches" in a pile that turned out to be "nothing but garbage - wet, deteriorated and moldy" from leaks in the roof that developed over the years the station was vacant. Of that pile of garbage, the city was able to restore a single bench at the Department of Public Works facility on Tapley Street, he said. The one bench will be displayed in the station, much like the restored original barber chair, as an exhibit to the station's past. Ironically, one month after the benches went missing, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, Union Station's biggest advocate and political benefactor, toured the facility with Moskal and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. If anyone mentioned their disappearance to Neal, he never let on to the press. A June 22, 2012, article in The Republican described Neal pointing at some benches in the corner and saying "And these great wooden benches ... I'm so glad to see that these are going to be restored." The benches Neal saw are apparently the same ones that Moskal described as the pile of wet, deteriorated and moldy garbage. Neal spokesman William Tranghese on Friday that when Neal toured the station at that time, he did not know the other benches were missing. Neal has toured different Union Stations across the county to get ideas how they were successfully renovated. He has also met with Amtrak officials at his office to discuss the Springfield project, its history, landscape and how its original integrity can be maintained. Neal has also invited the same Amtrak officials to tour the project in Springfield and to give a presentation city officials and residents. In a prepared statement released by Neal's office in April, Neal said the city has "one chance to get this important project right." His goal all along has been the renovation and refurbishment of Union Station to turn the downtown landmark in to something that will be a source of "considerable civic pride," he said. Neal cited other train stations in Baltimore, New Haven, St. Louis and Los Angeles as examples of restoration projects that have been done with an attention to detail. "My goal with Union Station has always been to restore the historic building to its original splendor. And we are almost there. I would like visitors to the refurbished station to enjoy the same vibrant and elegant terminal that travelers did more than 50 years ago," the statement reads. "That means acquiring and recovering period benches, lighting, signage and other related artifacts that were a part of the rail structure's long and rich history." Tranghese on Friday said that while Neal considers it to be a great disappointment that the benches are missing, he disagrees with the suggestion that the main concourse will have to be fitted with modern furniture as a result. He said Neal is speaking with officials at Amtrak and with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation about obtaining "authentic replacement benches." His office is also working with the city to restore many of the original station artifacts that have been removed to the city's Tapley Street facility. "The restoration of Union Station has been a priority of the Congressman for nearly four decades. He has invested a considerable amount of time and energy in this important preservation project. The disappearance of these benches will not change that," Tranghese said. When Union Station opened in 1926, it was considered one of the most modern train stations in the country. At the time when rail travel was the fastest means of transport, Springfield, a major city in the Northeast with railroad lines running north-south and east-west, was one of the busiest stations. At the station's grand opening in late December 1926, newspaper accounts noted that between 20,000 and 30,000 people toured every nook and cranny of the new station, which had restaurants, barber shops and multiple newsstands. It also had a large waiting room described as having row upon row of benches with enough seats for 650 travelers. A Dec. 20, 1926 article in the Springfield Daily Republican noted that despite the crowd, the station's "unusually large size" could accommodate it easily. "It was noted the traveling public made particular use of the waiting benches in the new subway at the start of things. These seats are near the doors to the stairway and proved their usefulness at once." Over the years, the same benches would be mentioned several times as weary passengers waited for trains, mothers tended to children, college students clustered while heading home for Christmas, and GIs on the way to and from posts sometimes stretched out to nap. In August 1958, when a fire in New York caused delays of three hours or more in Springfield, the Republican reported "scores tried to sleep on the wooden benches." But nine years later in 1967, reporter Frank B. Murray, for whom the street outside Union Station in named, went through the station, saw main hall partitioned off, the wooden benches empty, and concluded "the romance of railroading - as we knew it - is gone." Union Station closed in 1973 when Amtrak converted the station to the present Lyman Street facility. The Springfield Redevelopment Authority acquired the building in 1989. The benches had been a staple inside the building from the time it opened until well after it closed, and until 2012 when it was discovered they were no longer there. Moskal said that when the benches were discovered missing, he contacted Sarno, who in turn notified then-Springfield Police Commissioner William Fitchet. Moskal said Fitchet notified him that he would increase patrols around Union Station. He also asked for a key to the property to allow officers access to the facility in case there were addition reports of someone inside. A key was delivered, Moskal said. A few weeks later, the SRDA staff noticed that a large strip of copper was missing from the roof of the former baggage area of the building. Again he notified Sarno, who contacted Fitchet, who assigned an officer to the case. Moskal said he remembers Detective Michael Carney and another detective whose name he cannot remember coming to Union Station on June 4, 2012, to investigate the theft of the benches and the copper. He remembers the date specifically because both officers after a while left in a hurry to respond to the scene of the fatal shooting of officer Kevin Ambrose during a domestic disturbance in Sixteen Acres. Springfield police said they could find no records of a reported theft or an investigation involving Carney at Union Station. Fitchet retired in 2014. Carney retired in January. Carney, reached by telephone recently, said he recalls going to Union Station to investigate a reported theft, but he cannot recall an exact date or even a general time period. At times, the robbery unit was typically working on 40 to 50 cases per month and sometimes as many as 70 cases. "I do know there's a report. We did go out there," Carney said. Springfield police could not locate an incident report. Carney remembers that they took photos of the scene, conducted interviews and took notes. He said he remembers getting the call on June 4 of that year to respond to the scene of the Ambrose murder, but he does not recall what he was working on before that. Typically, they would investigate during the first part of the shift and then return to the station to write up their notes as part of the case file. If they were there in the morning prior to Ambrose's death, it is likely they would not have returned to the case for a few days as the tragedy became a top priority. "On June 4, our minds were not there," he said. Exactly how many benches were in Union Station? Moskal said the number missing is between 30 and 40. He estimated the number of dilapidated benches to be eight or nine, of which one was salvageable. That would put the total at a minimum of 38 to and a high of 49. No exact count is available, but articles through the years have said the waiting room seating capacity was 650 people. If the 18-foot-long benches were projected to seat 12 people each, it would mean 54 benches. If they were intended to seat 14, because people in the 1920s were on average thinner than they are now, it would require 46 benches. Newspapers accounts of the station over the years have described the waiting room area has having rows and rows of benches. Even as late as 1961, when rail travel was in decline in the dawning of the age of commercial air travel and the interstate highway system, a Republican article described a near-empty station with "row on row of the great benches, worn smooth by thousands who had lingered there." A Jan. 16, 2015 file photo of benches from the original train station at left as work gets underway at the Union Station building. The long wooden benches were a staple of Union Station from the day it opened in 1926. They sat idle in the station for more than 20 years and as renovation of the station ramped up, they went missing. The benches were to be a key part of the renovation project. They were going to be refurbished and set up in the main hall, similar to the station project in New Haven. The rehab of Union Station was intended to draw heavily on the station's history, Kennedy said. The benches were to serve a functional role in allowing people to sit, but they were also supposed to harken back to the station's heyday, just like the restored barber's chair, the old incoming and departing chalkboard, and the antique clock. "That is the frustrating part of all of this," Kennedy said. With the construction ongoing, Union Station is a beehive of activity during the day. At night it is locked up. But prior to the start of construction, Union Station in 2012 was empty and abandoned, much as it had been since the mid-1970s. "Given the size of the benches, getting them out of there would be no small task," Kennedy said. "They would have to have a truck to get them out of there." Moskal said it would be difficult to drive a truck up to the abandoned station without someone noticing. "You couldn't just take the benches out without someone saying, 'What's going on?'" he said. Kennedy said the missing benches, if in good condition, would fetch a high price in the antiques circuit. As an example, the restored original barber chair that is being returned to Union Station had an estimated worth of $5,000. "You can imagine what a bench - or 10 benches - would be worth," he said. Peter Imler of Stanton Auctions, an auctioneering and appraising business in Hampden that specializes in antique furniture, said he is not sure what each of the benches would be worth. Looking at a Republican file photo of one of the benches that was in good condition, he said he would probably appraise its worth at $2,500. That estimate is due to its size, which he said would likely limit the field of prospective buyers. "It's hard to place a realistic value on something like this because at its size it is not really a household antique and therefore has a limited appeal from a usage standpoint," he said. "In other words, few people would be looking at this and saying, 'Gee, this would look nice in my home.'" Using Moskal's count of 30 to 40 benches, if each were worth $2,500, the total haul would be worth $75,000 to $100,000 Kennedy and Moskal said that minus the original benches, Union Station will have to purchase more modern furniture. "The cost of replacing them would be astronomical," Moskal said. Moskal said the plan for the past few years has been to make the main concourse a multi-use facility. During the day when traffic is higher, there will be tables and chairs for travelers. At night when traffic is less, the facility could be used for special events and the tables and chairs could be moved out of the way. It is nearing the point where they need to order furniture in time for the station's opening in December, he said. If more benches were available, Moskal said they would be incorporated into the finished station. "Would we use them? Without a doubt," he said. "We would reuse them in a minute." He said they would not fit in with the plans for the multi-use concourse, but they could be used elsewhere in the building. In the months since they were discovered missing, Moskal said SRDA staff, sometimes aboveboard and sometimes incognito, have tried to find traces of the benches. They've checked eBay, craigslist and other social media. They've gone to tag sales and flea markets, and reached out to antiques dealers and pawn shops. And the end result was to find nothing. Not a trace. "We couldn't get anyone to say, 'We got some benches,'" he said. "We did as much as we could," he said. "But they are gone. Gone."

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0business

Springfield, Worcester among the hottest places to buy a home in 2024

Springfield and Worcester are among the top 10 housing markets for 2024, according to Realtor.com. The website listed the real estate markets where home sales prices are anticipated to grow as numbers dip nationally. The number of existing home sales in these places is also expected to surge, Realtor.com said. The top 10 markets in 2024 “have been more steady,” said Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “They haven’t seen the big price and sales booms we’ve seen in other parts of the country, which helps them to stand out now.” Half of the cities listed were on the West Coast but two were in Massachusetts. Springfield was listed at No. 7 on the list. “Springfield might be an unusual pick for a national top markets list. But this city, the birthplace of beloved author Dr. Seuss, is luring homebuyers with its affordable home prices and low unemployment,” Realtor.com wrote. About 90 minutes west of Boston, it has homes with less than half the cost. A three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom brick house with an in-ground pool is $375,000. Overall, its median home price for November was about $350,000. But Worcester, which is listed at No. 8 on the list, is even closer to Boston — a continued selling point of the website’s. “Similar to Springfield, Worcester has long been a cheaper alternative to Boston. The larger city is only about an hour’s drive to the east,” Realtor.com wrote. The median home list prices in Worcester have increased 42% in four years. Still, the website wrote, that’s a “major bargain” compared to Boston prices. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. The buyers in the Worcester market include Bostonians, investors and locals who can afford the more-expensive prices and mortgage rates, real estate broker Nick McNeil, of McNeil Real Estate, told Realtor.com. The reason people are willing to move out of Boston, the website explained, is due to continued remote work. “As people have more remote work, they are willing to live farther away from the office,” said Hale.

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4politics

Gaza Truce Talks Bog Down Over Disputes on Aid Inspections

The top political leader of Hamas was holding talks with Egyptian officials on Wednesday about a possible truce in its war with Israel in the Gaza Strip, as the United Nations Security Council separately worked frantically to craft a resolution to suspend the fighting that would not draw a veto from Israel’s staunchest ally, the United States. The talks in Egypt were taking place as concerns in Israel grow over the fate of the dozens of hostages still being held in Gaza, and as pressure grew on the Israelis to stop their military campaign and allow more desperately needed aid into the devastated enclave. Diplomats at the U.N. Security Council were engaged in their own intense negotiations in New York on Wednesday over a resolution that would call for extended pauses in the war, allow more aid into Gaza by land, air and sea, and urge the immediate release of all the hostages being held by Hamas. A vote had initially been scheduled for Monday, but was delayed repeatedly, including on Wednesday, and is now not expected until Thursday morning at the earliest.

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4politics

Bruised by War-Related Boycott, Artforum Seeks a Reset

A skeleton crew of editors needed to take a hacksaw through the December issue of Artforum magazine. There were only a few weeks between the sudden firing of its editor in chief and a print deadline for the glossy’s annual “Year in Review” issue. The fallout had been swift when Artforum’s owner fired the editor, David Velasco, after the magazine published an open letter about the Israel-Hamas war that supported Palestinian liberation and initially omitted mention of the victims of the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. At least six members of the editorial team resigned and nearly 600 writers signed letters boycotting the magazine and its sister publications like ARTnews and Art in America. Regular contributors like the critic Jennifer Krasinski and the art historian Claire Bishop requested to have their articles pulled from the December issue. Others such as the filmmaker John Waters, the curator Meg Onli and the artist Gordon Hall also withdrew their writing. The “Year in Review” issue that has begun arriving to subscribers is a week later than usual and noticeably slimmer. At 150 pages of articles and advertisements, it is about a third smaller than last December’s 224-page issue.

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4politics

Tell us: Should Boston have a guaranteed basic income program?

Tell Us Tell us: Should Boston have a guaranteed basic income program? Boston officials proposed a program that would provide a temporary guaranteed income program for low-income residents. Mabell Acevedo participated in Cambridge’s RISE program, that gave her a monthly cash stipend, with no strings attached. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff) Last week, Boston city councilors and officials from Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration held a hearing to discuss a guaranteed basic income pilot program for low-income Bostonians. Guaranteed income involves “routine cash payments that are often unconditional or with very limited conditions,” according to Elijah Miller, the director of policy for the city’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, who spoke at the hearing. “The goal is to get people the cash they need on a regular basis where it’s predictable, it’s reliable and allows people to improve their situations,” he said. The proposal is still in the early stages of consideration, but it would help the nearly one in five Boston residents who are living below the poverty line. Advertisement: Just under 19% of Boston residents are living in poverty, and the child poverty rate is 27.7%, according to Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara, who sponsored the hearing. Women between the ages of 18 and 24 are the largest demographic living in poverty in the city, and most of those living in poverty are people of color. “We know that poverty is a policy failure, as we have seen so many times, that requires a policy solution,” Lara said Wednesday. “I think that, as a council, and as a city, we have a responsibility to ensure that we’re taking care of our most vulnerable residents.” Similar programs have been piloted in two Greater Boston cities, and have shown promising results. In 2020, more than 2,200 households facing food insecurity in Chelsea were selected by lottery to receive $400 a month for nine months. Sixty-five percent of the funds were spent on food and the program “largely achieved its goals,” a 2022 report from the Harvard Kennedy School found. The city continued the program from January through March 2023. And in Cambridge, a pilot program sent direct payments of $500 to 130 single-parent, low-income families. The program, which started in 2021, continued in 2023 and is set to cover roughly 2,000 low-income families. Advertisement: “The program has been really successful so far. We’ve been hearing from other cities around Massachusetts asking for advice for starting their own program,” Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui said at the hearing. However, the proposal has faced skepticism from local officials like City Council President Ed Flynn. Flynn said Boston needs “to ensure that we provide basic city services and public safety for our constituents,” and that the “city needs to prioritize paying better salaries for our city employees in order for us to find and maintain talent” before putting funding toward a guaranteed income program. “We would need significant funds for a universal basic income program. At this time, I don’t think we should experiment with the program,” he said. Meanwhile, Mayor Wu has expressed concern that the proposed pilot doesn’t go far enough. In appearances on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” and B87FM’s “Notorious in the Morning,” Wu questioned the need to run a pilot program at all, given the proven success of the Chelsea and Cambridge programs. “Of course, people use money on things that they need in their daily lives. We know that. We don’t need to test it anymore, we don’t need to pilot this or that,” Wu said on B87FM. Advertisement: “How do we get something that we can actually sustain and scale and touch everyone? For me, I want to make sure that’s actually infrastructure building rather than dropping in some resources which will be very, very helpful for those small groups of families who can access it but then evaporate because the pilot ends,” Wu said on WBUR’s “Radio Boston.” Proponents of the program said funding could come from philanthropic partners, nonprofits, and contributions from universities and medical facilities in Boston, though there are questions about how sustainable long-term funding would be. Should Boston have a guaranteed basic income program? Tell us by filling out the form or e-mailing us at [email protected], and your response may appear in a future Boston.com article.

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2culture

The Book World Still Isnt Diverse. Dhonielle Clayton Is Trying to Change That.

The mastermind behind those fictional plots and dozens more is Dhonielle Clayton — a former librarian whose hyperactive imagination has spawned a prolific factory for intellectual property. Though her name doesn’t always appear on the covers of the books she conceives, she has quietly become an influential power broker in the book world. “She’s like a puppet master,” said the best-selling novelist Jason Reynolds, who attended the party and is a longtime friend of Ms. Clayton’s. “People don’t know Dhonielle’s hand is in everything.” In addition to running Electric Postcard, which she founded last year, Ms. Clayton is the president of Cake Creative, another packaging company that develops intellectual property for children’s books, and the author of more than a dozen novels. Like other packagers, Ms. Clayton, 40, comes up with plots for potential novels and hires writers to execute those ideas, then sells the books to publishers. Packagers have been a fixture of the publishing industry for decades, and have engineered hits like “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “Pretty Little Liars.” By farming out ideas to writers but holding onto the copyright, packagers can build up large and lucrative catalogs of intellectual property. While some offer authors a cut of the advance and royalties, allowing them to share in a book’s success, others pay only a negotiated fee, which can range from a few thousand dollars to the low tens of thousands. But Ms. Clayton has bigger ambitions, and set out to create a different kind of packaging company. She’s aiming to create a pipeline for fiction featuring racially diverse and L.G.B.T.Q. protagonists, as well as characters living with disabilities, and who come from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, to convince publishers that those stories can be commercial blockbusters. She works exclusively with writers from marginalized communities, and aims to give her authors a fair cut of the pay, and the tools to have their own careers.

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7weather

How much snow are we getting Sunday? What to expect from this weekend's storm

Our quiet stretch continues with a blend of sun and clouds and highs in the low 40s for many of us Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday night, we’ll drop into the 20s under partly cloudy skies and some snow showers in far northern New England. As a cold front sweeps through the region from northwest to southeast Thursday, scattered snow showers in northern and western New England through midday will drop a coating to a couple inches with elevations in the mountains and deliver a passing rain or snow shower elsewhere. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. After reaching highs in the low 40s (30s north), noticeably colder air will arrive by Thursday evening. Despite full sunshine on Friday, we won’t get out of the low to mid 30s for highs (20s far north). While plowable snow is likely for portions of New England, what remains uncertain is the exact track and strength of the storm center, which will play a critical role in determining the intensity of the snow and where the rain/snow line will set up. With water temperatures in the low to mid 40s and an east wind forecast for a time, even if we start as snow in eastern Massachusetts, a transition to rain seems probable, before flipping back to snow toward the tail end. Snow forecast this weekend in Mass. Saturday will be cold too, with increasing and thickening clouds ahead of a storm that will be advancing through the Mid-Atlantic by Saturday afternoon. For us here at home, areas of snow are likely to arrive sometime Saturday late evening and continue into Sunday. The wind doesn’t look too intense, but some gusts to 40 mph are possible at the coast. The bottom line? While this doesn’t look like a blockbuster storm – it will bring the plows and crews out in many cities and towns. Boston snowfall: A look back Another snowstorm next week? After things wind down later Sunday, quiet weather will greet us next week before the next system arrives. There are strong signals that a burst of wintry mix later Tuesday will change to rain as milder air works into the region with highs around 50 on Wednesday. After that, we turn cooler again for the end of next week as seen in our exclusive 10-day forecast.

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3entertainment

Skywatch: A look back at 2023, and what lies ahead

Are you getting used to having more information available to you each year? In astronomy alone, tens of thousands of papers were published in 2023, so we depend on our collective filters to keep things manageable. Here, I present my own woefully incomplete selection along with a few anniversaries and a thought or two about everything in general. The most important story of 2023 is that it is now the warmest year on record for our planet. A recent report by the World Meteorological Organization tells us that the global average was about 1.40°Celsius (2.52°Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial 1850-1900 baseline. Many expect 2024 to be even warmer due to the delayed effects of last year’s El Niño event on global temperatures. Compared to global averages, local temperatures can shift dramatically. My hiking friends and I saw one of the warmest Februarys in memory after our coldest day of snowshoeing ever on Feb. 3 — minus 15° Fahrenheit in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. (See my column about that here: https://www.masslive.com/living/2023/03/skywatch-marching-toward-spring.html). We’ve yet to see anything like that this winter, but you may still be surprised to learn that we were closest to the sun for the year on January 2. Obviously, winter doesn’t have to do our distance from the sun. Our closest point, called perihelion, came at 7:38 p.m. when Earth was 91,404,095 miles from the sun. Earth’s farthest point, aphelion, comes on July 5 when we are 94,510,539 miles from the sun. These distances typically vary year to year by a few thousand miles, so they are commonly rounded to 91.4 million miles, and 94.5 million miles respectively. Our latest sunrise came on Friday morning, Jan. 5. Were it not for a little wobble in Earth’s rotation, this would occur on the shortest day — the winter solstice — along with our latest sunset. Our distance from the sun matters little here. Speak of the sun, parts of the western U.S. Central and South America witnessed an annular eclipse in October. Annular eclipses happen when the moon is at a distant part of its orbit, and appears too small to completely cover the sun. On April 8, the moon will completely cover the sun for a total solar eclipse visible along a line from Mexico and Texas, up through the Midwest to upstate New York, then across northern New England into Canada. This puts totality within driving distance for us here in western Massachusetts — our best chance in years to see one of the most spectacular events nature has to offer. There’s still time to plan a trip, but beware that few camping and hotel options may be left. If you need more incentive, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting that Solar Maximum will come sometime between now and October 2024, which means the sun’s corona during totality could be especially spectacular. In November, scientists from George Mason University warned that even if this solar peak is relatively weak, sunspots and solar flares could disrupt earth-bound technologies, including the internet — a concern given that the internet grew into a global economic driver while the sun was relatively quiet. Increased solar activity and geomagnetic storms can also disrupt satellites, and in extreme cases, our electric systems, so understanding space weather is more important than ever. I’ll let others worry about disruptions to civilization, but will keep an internet eye on solar activity so I don’t miss the next big display of the aurora borealis, or northern lights. Clouds ruined the few chances we’ve had here in southern New England since last spring’s display. (See my column about that here: https://www.masslive.com/living/2023/04/skywatch-look-up-you-might-see-a-light-show.html) Dec. 17 was the 120th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first successful flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. That seems like a long time ago, but I was born less than 50 years later, and went on to witness the first ever artificial satellite, the Soviet Union’s Sputnik in 1957. Sputnik’s success prompted the U.S. to form the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on July 29, 1958. We celebrated NASA’s 65th anniversary in 2023. The 20th anniversary of the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster of 2003 reminded us of the risks of space travel, while the International Space Station — the largest artificial satellite ever — marked its 25th year in orbit. Over 270 people from 21 countries have flown on the ISS, including those on private missions like Axiom 2 in 2023. Every person there needs about a gallon of water per day for drinking, food preparation, and hygiene, so it was an important milestone in 2023 when the station achieved a water recovery rate of 98% — mainly by recycling urine. Among those who will benefit from this technology is NASA’s Artemis moon program, which probably won’t launch its first manned mission until at least 2025. NASA has modified its contract with SpaceX to further develop the Starship human landing system for the Artemis program despite two partially successful Starship launches in 2023. SpaceX has landed Falcon 9 boosters at least 259 times, and in December, one booster made a record 19th landing before toppling over on its barge in rough seas. Russia, India, and a private Japanese company attempted to land unmanned probes on the moon in 2023, but only India prevailed. A couple of U.S. companies, China, and the Japanese Space Agency will make attempts this year. In February, NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover will begin its fourth Earth-year on the Red Planet. Incredibly, the Ingenuity helicopter it carried — the first craft to fly on another world — has made at least 69 flights since its first in April 2022.Our other rover, Curiosity, entered its 13th active year on Mars in November. In October, NASA’s Juno probe — which entered Jupiter orbit in 2016 — flew just 7,270 miles from Jupiter’s moon Io, revealing never before seen surface details. In April, the European Space Agency launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) to determine the past — or present — habitability of those moons. It will arrive at Jupiter in 2031. In September, NASA retrieved its first sample of asteroid Bennu from the OSIRIS-REx probe, and in October launched another spacecraft to a metal-rich asteroid named Psyche. In December, the Psyche spacecraft beamed a prerecorded video of a cat named Taters back to Earth from 19 million miles away in a test of high-bandwidth laser communications. The James Webb Space Telescope topped off its first year with extraordinary images of the closest star-forming region to Earth and the Crab Nebula after challenging cosmologists with surprising observations of the most distant galaxies ever seen. Meanwhile, the Hubble Space Telescope hobbles along 30 years after its vision was restored by high-flying space shuttle astronauts. In July, ESA launched the wide-angle Euclid space telescope to help unlock the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. Around the same time, military veterans testified to Congress about unidentified flying objects, including fantastic reports of retrieved alien craft and bodies. This came just as humans were facing the real prospect of creating their own aliens in the form of artificial intelligence. Taken together, this is a remarkable journey for a species that, for most of its existence, roamed the planet in small groups, hunting and gathering to survive. Find rise and set times for the sun and moon, and follow ever-changing celestial highlights in the Skywatch section of the Weather Almanac in The Republican and Sunday Republican. Patrick Rowan has written Skywatch for The Republican since 1987 and has been a Weather Almanac contributor since the mid 1990s. A native of Long Island, Rowan graduated from Northampton High School, studied astronomy at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the 1970s and was a research assistant for the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory. From 1981 to 1994, Rowan worked at the Springfield Science Museum’s Seymour Planetarium, most of that time as planetarium manager. Rowan lives in the Florence section of Northampton with his wife, Clara, and their cats, Eli and Milo.

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3entertainment

Tom Wilkinson, 'The Full Monty' actor, dead at 75

Tom Wilkinson, best known for his role in "The Full Monty," has died. He was 75. "It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30th. His wife and family were with him. The family asks for privacy at this time," his reps confirmed to Fox News Digital. The cause of death has not been revealed. Wilkinson portrayed former steel mill foreman Gerald Cooper in "The Full Monty." This is a developing story. Please check back for details.

e81b0273c8d64955f2db99c4f5fabd6f

7weather

Winter wants to stay after all

COLD BLOWING IN Behind the snow squalls of Sunday, bitter cold air moved in on gusty northwest winds. Those winds will calm down Monday morning, but the cold is going nowhere. Expect actual prolonged winter weather this week. Monday will be dry, but more snow is on the way. COUPLE SNOW CHANCES Tuesday, a storm coming out of the southeast U.S. will be quite a ways offshore. Still, we will get some light snow here. In fact, there will be enough to move around, with up to 4″ north and west of Boston away from the coast. Another storm will come off the coast Friday, but there is even more uncertainty with that one. Models range from a raging snowstorm to an absolute miss. So, let’s get through the first one Tuesday and we’ll keep Friday “on your radar” © 2019 Cox Media Group

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0business

5 ways retailers try to get you to spend more this holiday season

SNOWBALLS. HO HO! IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR FOR RETAILERS. BUT CAN BE A TOUGH TIME FOR SAVVY SHOPPERS. TIP NUMBER ONE, DON’T FALL FOR FAKE SALES WHERE THEY TAKE A PRICE, THEY CROSS IT OUT. THEY IDENTIFY IT AS A LIST OR A REGULAR PRICE, AND THEY PRETEND TO DISCOUNT OFF OF IT. BUT THEY RARELY, IF EVER, CHARGE THAT ORIGINAL PRICE. KEVIN BRASLER RUNS CONSUMERS CHECKBOOK, A NONPROFIT CONSUMER WATCHDOG, AND SAYS COLES IS ESPECIALLY DESERVES A LUMP OF COAL FOR DOING THIS. IT MAKES YOU THINK, OH, I’D BETTER BUY THIS NOW BECAUSE IT’S A GREAT DEAL IS GOING TO GO AWAY. TAKE A LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE AROUND SALE PRICING IN THE FINE PRINT ON COLES WEBSITE. QUOTE, THE REGULAR OR ORIGINAL PRICE OF AN ITEM IS THE FORMER OR FUTURE OFFERED PRICE FOR THE ITEM OR A COMPARABLE ITEM BY COLES OR ANOTHER RETAILER. IT’S ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. I MEAN, COLES DOESN’T HAVE A TIME MACHINE. IT CAN’T KNOW THAT IT’S COMPETITORS MIGHT CHARGE THAT LIST PRICE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, BUT HERE’S THE LINE THAT REALLY MATTERS. QUOTE, ACTUAL SALES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE REGULAR OR ORIGINAL PRICES. ON TO TIP TWO. SEARCH RESULTS ARE DOMINATED BY ADS MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. AMAZON, JUST IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, HAS QUADRUPLED THE AMOUNT OF AD REVENUE IT’S GETTING. IT HASN’T BEEN UNCOMMON TO FIND A SPONSORED PRODUCT OR TWO, BUT NOW CONSUMERS CHECKBOOK SAYS THERE CAN BE ROWS OF PAID PRODUCT PLACEMENTS. WE’RE JUST OVERWHELMED NOW ON AMAZON AND MANY OTHER RETAILER SITES BY PRODUCTS WHERE THERE’S BEEN EXTRA MONEY PUT BEHIND THAT PRODUCT TO PUT IT IN FRONT OF US, AS OPPOSED TO THAT BEING THE BEST THING THAT THEY HAVE FOR SALE. TIP THREE WATCH OUT FOR PRICE LINEUPS MANIPULATED TO PUSH YOU TOWARD A MORE EXPENSIVE CHOICE. MOST RETAILERS KNOW THAT THAT PEOPLE GRAVITATE TOWARD THE ITEM IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT CONSUMERS CHECKBOOK POINTS TO APPLE WATCHES THE COMPANY SHOWING A LINEUP WITH A BIG RANGE OF PRICES FROM $250 TO 1250, WHICH MIGHT NUDGE SHOPPERS TOWARD THE MIDDLE AND THE $400 MODEL INSTEAD OF THE CHEAPEST VERSION. IT MAKES IT THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OH, WELL, AT LEAST I’M NOT OVERPAYING HERE. THIS ITEM HAS SOME VALUE BECAUSE AT LEAST IT’S IN THE MIDDLE. HERE’S TIP FOUR DON’T BELIEVE SCARCITY WARNINGS, WHICH IS WHEN A COMPANY TELLS YOU IT ONLY HAS A FEW ITEMS LEFT. ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS IS AIRLINE SEATS. BUT CONSUMERS CHECKBOOK SAYS ELSEWHERE LIKE ON HOTEL WEBSITES OR AMAZON IT’S LARGELY BOGUS. WE TRACKED PRICING FOR MONTHS AT VARIOUS HOTEL WEBSITES, THIRD PARTY BOOKING SITES AND USUALLY WHEN WE ENCOUNTER THESE SCARCITY WARNINGS, THEY WEREN’T TRUE. FINALLY, TIP FIVE DON’T BE TOO LOYAL TO LOYALTY PROGRAMS. IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T SPEND EXTRA MONEY TO STICK WITH A CERTAIN COMPANY JUST TO EARN POINTS OR MILES BECAUSE YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF LEFT OUT IN THE COLD. AND FOR MOST RETAILERS, THESE POINTS ARE WORTH ABOUT 1%. AND AT MOST THEY’RE WORTH ABOUT 5%. ALL RIGHT. NOW, GOING BACK TO THAT FIRST TIP, WE REACHED OUT TO KOHL’S FOR COMMENT, BUT THE COMPANY DID NOT RESPOND. AND I’VE PUT A LINK TO MANY MORE TIPS FROM CONSUMERS CHECKBOOK IN THIS STORY ON OUR WEBSITE, WCVB DOT COM. AND IF YOU’VE GOT A CONSUMER STORY FOR ME, SEND ME AN EMAIL Advertisement 5 ways retailers try to get you to spend more this holiday season Share Copy Link Copy Ready or not, the holiday shopping season gets in full swing this week, and retailers certainly are ready to get you to part with your money. You might not realize it, but they've got a list longer than Santa's of sneaky ways they get you to spend more. Thanks to Consumers' Checkbook, here are five to watch out for before your spending snowballs.Tip number one: don't fall for fake sales.That’s "where they take a price. They cross it out. They identify it as a 'list' or 'regular' price, and they pretend to discount off of it. But, they rarely if ever charge that original price," said Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Boston Consumers' Checkbook. "It makes you think, 'Oh, I better buy this now because this great deal is going to go away.'"Brasler says Kohl's especially deserves a lump of coal for doing this. He points to the fine print around sale pricing on Kohl's website. It says "the 'Regular' or 'Original' price of an item is the former or future offered price for the item or a comparable item by Kohl's or another retailer. Actual sales may not have been made at the 'Regular' or 'Original' prices.""It's absolutely absurd," Brasler said. "Kohl's doesn't have a time machine. It can't know that its competitors might charge that list price at some point in time."NewsCenter 5 reached out to Kohl's for comment, but the company did not respond.Tip two: expect that your search results will be dominated by ads, more than ever before."Amazon just in the last year or so has quadrupled the amount of ad revenue it's getting," Brasler said. "We're just overwhelmed now on Amazon and many other retailers' sites by-products where there's been extra money put behind that product to put it in front of us, as opposed to that being the best thing that they have for sale."In the past few years, it hasn't been uncommon to find a sponsored product or two, but now, Consumers' Checkbook says there can be rows and rows of product placement.Tip three: watch out for price lineups that are manipulated to push you toward a more expensive choice."Most retailers know that people gravitate toward the item in the middle, right?" said Brasler.Consumers' Checkbook uses the Apple Watch as a prime example of this. The company shows a lineup of watches with a big range of prices: from $249 to $1249. Brasler said that's designed to nudge shoppers toward the middle, the $399 model instead of the cheapest version."It makes you think that, 'Well, at least I'm not overpaying here. This item has some value because at least it's in the middle," he said.Tip four: don't believe scarcity warnings, which is when a company tells you it only has a few items left.One exception to this is airline seats. But elsewhere - like at hotels or retailers’ websites: "It's largely bogus," Brasler said. "We tracked pricing for months at various hotel websites, at third-party booking sites, and usually when we encounter these scarcity warnings, they weren't true."Finally, tip five: don't be too loyal to loyalty programs.In other words, don't spend hundreds of extra dollars to stick with a certain company just to earn points or miles because those rewards certainly aren't worth that much."For most retailers, these points are worth about one percent, and at most, they're worth about five percent," Brasler said. To check out some additional tips from Consumers' Checkbook, visit their website here.

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5science

The Early Universe Was Bananas

What does a newborn galaxy look like? For the longest time, many astrophysicists and cosmologists have assumed that newborn galaxies would look like the orbs and spidery discs familiar in the modern universe. But according to an analysis of new images from the James Webb Space Telescope, baby galaxies were neither eggs nor discs. They were bananas. Or pickles, or cigars, or surfboards — choose your own metaphor. That is the tentative conclusion of a team of astronomers who re-examined images of some 4,000 newborn galaxies observed by Webb at the dawn of time. “This is both a surprising and unexpected result, though there were already hints of it with Hubble,” said Viraj Pandya, a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University, referring to the Hubble Space Telescope. He is the lead author of a paper soon to be published in the Astrophysical Journal under the provocative title “Galaxies Going Bananas.” Dr. Pandya is scheduled to give a talk about his work on Wednesday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in New Orleans. If the result holds, astronomers say that it could profoundly alter their understanding of how galaxies emerge and grow. It could also offer insight into the mysterious nature of dark matter, an unknown and invisible form of matter that astronomers say makes up a major part of the universe and outweighs atomic matter 5 to 1. Dark matter engulfs galaxies and provides the gravitational nurseries in which new galaxies arise.

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7weather

Snow forecast: Up to a foot could accumulate away from Mass. coast

The map below shows what I expect for total snowfall from this system. With a few days to go before the storm, these numbers are subject to change and I’m hoping to be able to narrow down the 6- to 12-inch range on Friday. You’ll notice the colder air in place on Friday when temperatures start near 20 degrees and stay in the 30s all day in spite of bright sunshine. This cold air is an important ingredient for our first major storm of this winter season. It’s definitely late in the season to have not seen our first inch of snow but that is likely going to change dramatically on Sunday. Colder air will work into the region overnight, setting the stage for a mostly snow event for much of Southern New England for Sunday. Advertisement A large area of 6 to 12 inches of snow will likely occur across southern New England on Sunday. Dave Epstein The most likely areas to see a foot of snow are the higher elevations of Worcester County, northern Middlesex County, and perhaps even the interior areas of Norfolk County. This doesn’t mean that other areas couldn’t see a foot of snow, it’s just that those are the most likely as it stands now. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much of Massachusetts, with the exception of the Greater Boston area, from 4 p.m., Saturday through 1 a.m., Monday. Low pressure will move along the Atlantic seaboard and then northeast out to sea, east of New England on Sunday night and early Monday. On this track, much of the area will experience snow and even on Cape Cod, where it starts as rain, the precipitation should end as at least some snow. The snow will begin late Saturday night, becoming steady and heavier. Most of the snow, though not all of it, will have fallen by early Sunday afternoon. Advertisement Temperatures Sunday morning will be within a few degrees of freezing along the coastline, where the snow will be heavier and wetter. Even at the coastline, however, the snow will become lighter and fluffier during the afternoon as colder air works into the system. You can see on the temperature loop below for Sunday how the colder air works toward the coastline. Colder air moves into Southern New England behind the storm on Sunday afternoon. COD Weather There will be marine air in place on the eastern side of a coastal front to start the morning. It’s likely Boston is at or maybe even a little above freezing at the beginning of the day, but temperatures will fall in the afternoon into the 20s. It will be windy during the day Sunday and the snow will blow and drift. Where it is mildest and the snow is heavy and wet, there could be some scattered power outages. Coastal flooding will not be an issue with this storm as tides are astronomically low and the storm is moving relatively quickly, not allowing for any sort of a significant storm surge. Nevertheless, there can always be some minor splashover at the time of high tide. Coastal flooding is unlikely on Sunday during the storm. NOAA It will be sunny on Monday, with temperatures back into the 30s. I have early concerns about another storm for later Tuesday and Wednesday. While this storm could start as snow, rain is likely the prevalent precipitation type and it could be a lot, leading to potential flooding. The pattern is certainly not boring.

a3d55923556bd83c39015a539379d3aa

3entertainment

Sofia Boutella Kicks Her Way to a Leading Role in Rebel Moon

During a recent video interview from a hotel in Los Angeles, Boutella discussed life in Algeria, the connection between dancing and acting and what drew her to Kora. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation. What was it like to grow up during a civil war? I think for a child it’s not something you realize really, especially if you haven’t known life any differently. We had a curfew, and we would hear bombs exploding here and there. It was something that I was just, in a weird way, used to. I think it was a different experience for my mother. My dad already lived in France and was traveling a lot. My parents separated when I was 4. But during those 10 years, I would go visit him in France here and there. Once I started going to France I started to see that life is different elsewhere. But when you’re so young, your perception is a bit warped. That must have been a huge transition to move to France at 10 years old. The aspect I could not have anticipated was the culture shock and how quickly I had to adapt. I remember going to school for the first time and not being able to speak because the amount of information that was thrown at me constantly was so overwhelming. The one place I found refuge, where I found commonality with when I was in Algeria, was art and when I started dancing again in France, because I felt that there were no differences. We all spoke the same language and we all had the same culture in a way that felt comfortable and felt like home. But outside of that, it was a different experience. Going to school in Algeria, we all wore blouses, so every social class was the same. But in France we were all judged by the way we looked and how cool we were, and I definitely was not cool.

eb11816bd31adf03aa31ea205dd798ca

0business

Four-bedroom home sells for $3 million in North Chatham

A 3,683-square-foot house built in 1973 has changed hands. The spacious property located at 13 Captain Cove Lane in North Chatham was sold on Nov. 27, 2023. The $3,000,000 purchase price works out to $815 per square foot. This two-story house offers a capacious living environment with its four bedrooms and five baths. The home's external structure has a gable roof design, covered with wood shake roofing / shingles. The property is equipped with hot water heating and a cooling system. These nearby houses have also recently been purchased: A 1,927-square-foot home at 16 Seapine Road in North Chatham sold in July 2023, for $1,100,000, a price per square foot of $571. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. In October 2023, a 1,968-square-foot home on Sea Cove Road in North Chatham sold for $1,981,000, a price per square foot of $1,007. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Sea Cove Road, North Chatham, in May 2023, a 2,511-square-foot home was sold for $2,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,035. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data. See more Real Estate News

656873d1c5489d6cf5db376cb8fd6017

2culture

History Lesson On First Night

Every year on New Year’s Eve, dozens of cities across the country and globe throw “First Night” celebrations, commemorating the art and culture of their communities to ring in the new year. But the tradition actually found its start 48 years ago here in Boston, thanks to an idea by local artist Clara Wainwright. Wainwright thought typical drunken New Year’s festivities—which usually resulted in a hangover the next day—made for an empty start to the year. So, she assembled a group of Boston-area artists and musicians and planned First Night, an alcohol-free festival that celebrated all types of community-based art and took advantage of Boston’s walkable atmosphere. During the mid-1970s, Boston had already been quite supportive of other norm-breaking festivities—like the Boston Oil Party, which protested President Nixon and the 1973 oil crisis. For this reason, Wainwright thought it a perfect time to rethink NYE, too. Even with the frigid, below-10° temperatures of New Year’s Eve 1975, thousands arrived for the inaugural First Night tradition. The event was a success, and First Night quickly became Boston’s signature way to celebrate the new year, attracting 100,000 spectators by 1982. By the 1990s, First Night was compiling the works of over a thousand artists yearly. Similar events quickly spread to over a hundred other cities in the U.S., which would often put their own local spin on the celebration. In 2013, First Night faced some trouble when its nonprofit ran out of money to fund it. But given the event’s popularity with Bostonians, Mayor Menino used the city’s funding to launch an even more elaborate version of the event in December 2013. Today, First Night is supported mainly by the City of Boston, but it also receives funding from a variety of other sponsors—like Amazon, Meet Boston, and Conventures—which have allowed the event to be completely free since 2015. Graduating from its usual Copley Square location, First Night’s main stage this year will find its home in the City Hall Plaza, though additional events will be located nearby at the Common, Greenway, Columbus Park, and the Improv Asylum. As usual, the celebration will support all kinds of art. Some standouts: free daytime admission to the Mapparium Globe, hourly afternoon improv shows at the Asylum, a downtown parade at 6. p.m., and, of course, ice sculptures all day. You can get the full details of this year’s First Night here! Image via First Night Boston on Instagram

268df488b035eb5bb933330fa7c36cf2

7weather

Bill Belichick, meteorology skeptic, not worried about snow forecast

Bill Belichick, who has taken plenty of shots at the accuracy of weather forecasts over the years, doesn’t sound too worried about the snowfall that’s predicted for Sunday’s game. Massachusetts is expected to be hit with a winter storm Saturday into Sunday ahead of the New England Patriots’ regular-season finale against the New York Jets. Belichick, though, doesn’t seem too convinced. “We’ll see what happens,” Belichick said. “Things can change quickly at this time of year. We’ll see how it goes. As the conditions get closer to game time, we’ll deal with them appropriately.” “Whatever it is, it is,” added later. In the past, Belichick has cracked jokes about the unpredictability of weather in New England -- and the lack of accuracy of meteorologists -- claiming weather forecasts are “almost always wrong.” So while most of the region prepares to hunker down on Sunday and get their shovels out, Belichick has not plans to go crazy preparing with a snow game. “I mean, we’re not going to create snow and get a snow machine in here, but we’ll, um, Depending on what the conditions are, we can certainly talk about it and show examples of what playing in different types of conditions is like.” Some of Belichick’s most colorful comments over the years have come at the hands of weather forecasts and those who work as meteorologists.: From 2014: “We played down in Miami two years ago and there was a zero percent chance of rain – zero – and it rained. I’m just telling you. If I did my job the way they do theirs, I’d be here about a week.” Also from 2014: “When you play in New England, you have to be ready for everything. I’d say based on the forecasts we’ve gotten so far this year, none of them have been even very close to what game conditions were. There was 100 percent chance of rain last week and the only water I saw was on the Gatorade table.” One more from 2014: “My experience of going with the forecast in this area two days before the game, I mean I’d bet a lot that they’re wrong, just based on history because they’re almost always wrong.” From 2019: “The Giants game was supposed to be the monsoon and everything here and like usual there was not one drop of rain.” From 2021: “If it rains, it rains.” From 2022: “I’m more worried about the Bills than the weather. I think the Bills are who we have to focus on and that’s who we have to beat. The weather is the weather.” We’ll see on Sunday whether Belichick’s skepticism is well-founded.

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1crime

Authorities investigating deadly shooting at Lawrence bar - Boston News, Weather, Sports

LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at a bar in Lawrence early Sunday morning. Officers responding to a reported shooting at Energy Lounge on Broadway around 12:20 a.m. found a 29-year-old man who was suffering from a gunshot wound, according to the Essex District Attorney’s Office. He was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released. The shooting remains under investigation. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details. (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

839f1c1c5e3be8247eb44a46a39a2f1b

6sports

Daily Boys Basketball Stats Leaders: South Hadleys Jack Loughrey leads region in scoring

CHICOPEE ― Springfield Central girls basketball performed on the road against Chicopee on Friday as the Golden Eagles soared to a massive 78-30 win over the Pacers.

070c6a977bd5c0478676dce8fe2cb131

6sports

Patriots shutout of Pro Bowl for first time in 23 years

The hits keep on coming for the Patriots. On Wednesday night, the NFL released the complete rosters for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games. For the first time in over two decades, no Patriots players were selected for the honor. This marks the first time since the 2000 NFL season that the Patriots don’t have a Pro Bowl player on their roster. It’s been a tough season for Bill Belichick’s team. At 4-12, they head into this regular-season finale with the New York Jets in the No. 3 spot in the 2024 NFL Draft order. The Patriots were the second team in the NFL eliminated from the playoffs behind the Carolina Panthers, who hold the worst record. Now, not a single player makes the initial 2024 Pro Bowl roster. It’s certainly possible the Patriots would’ve had at least one if their roster was healthy. Last year, the Patriots had one player selected, Matthew Judon. He certainly was on his way to getting more accolades this season, but the edge rusher suffered a season-ending elbow injury in Week 4. Judon is still tied for third on the Patriots in sacks (four) and is third on the team in quarterback hits (nine). BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. The team also lost All-Pro punt returner Marcus Jones, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Standout rookie Christian Gonzalez was also making waves before he too suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. If any player on this Patriots roster had a case, it’s defensive tackle Christian Barmore. The third-year player leads the Patriots in sacks (8.5), quarterback hits (15), and tackles for loss (11). Barmore lost out to AFC defensive tackles Chris Jones (9.5 sacks and 25 quarterback hits), Justin Madubuike (13 sacks and 32 quarterback hits 32), and Quinnen Williams (3.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits). The San Francisco 49ers led all teams with nine Pro Bowl players. The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys had seven players selected. There were five other teams to have at least five players selected - Cleveland Browns (five), Detroit Lions (five), Kansas City Chiefs (five), Miami Dolphins (six), and Philadelphia Eagles (six). Every AFC East team other than the Patriots will be represented in this year’s Pro Bowl. Miami has six (Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Ramsey, Raheem Mostert, Alec Ingold, Tyreek Hill, and Terron Armstead), New York has two (Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams) and Buffalo has two (James Cook and Dion Dawkins).

b854cef16d78efcddb59c8809f8f0017

3entertainment

BroadwayWorld Boston Awards December 5th Standings

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Boston Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve! The 2023 Regional Awards honor regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2023. Winners will be announced in January! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve! This year the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards are bigger and better than ever, including over 100 cities across America, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia! 2023 BroadwayWorld Boston Standings Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance (Non-Professional) Donnie Norton & Steve Bass - A SWINGIN' AFFAIR BIG BAND - The Company Theatre 22% Abby Mueller - UNBREAKABLE - Break a Leg Theater Works 13% Steve Bass - A SWINGIN' AFFAIR - The Company Theatre 12% Daniel Webber - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 8% Harry Ohlson - UNBREAKABLE - Break a Leg Theater Works 7% James Jackson Jr - JAMES JACKSON JR SINGS! - Post Office Cafe 6% Casey Hatch - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Jon DiPrima - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Ken Kawa - THOROUGHLY MODERN MUSICALS - Case Theatre Boosters 6% Erin Maitland - AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ, AND WEBBER - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Jo Brisbane - MOD HOLLYWOOD! TUNES FROM A TOWN WITHOUT PITY - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 5% Letta Neely - PULLING IT ALL INTO THE CURRENT - A Revolution of Values Theatre Project 3% Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance (Professional) Kelli O'Hara - BROADWAY IN WORCESTER PRESENTS KELLI O'HARA - JMAC 15% Jessie Mueller and Seth Rudetsky - BROADWAY IN WORCESTER PRESENTS JESSIE MUELLER AND SETH RUDETSKY - Prior Performing Arts Center 13% Sarah deLima - THE LADIES WHO LUNCH - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 12% Yewande Odetoyinbo - UPLIFT CONCERT - Reagle Music Theatre 11% Allison Case - WOMEN IN MUSIC - Firehouse Center for the Arts 10% Paul Rescigno and Robbie Rescigno - THE RESCIGNOS: FRANKLINCENSE - THE BLACK BOX 8% James Jackson Jr - ON BROADWAY... & MORE - Provincetown Theater 6% Jimmy Tingle - JIMMY TINGLE TONIGHT! - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 5% Robert Saoud - MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC - Napoleon Room/Club Cafe Boston 5% Serge Clivio - SERGE CLIVIO: JOY LIVE - Regent Theatre 4% Eden Casteel - KAHN ARTIST - Seaglass Theater Company 2% Maddie Lam - CANDELIGHT CONCERT - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 2% Julia Watkins - ELECTRIFY THE NIGHT - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 2% Natalja Sticco - ECHOES OF MY HEART - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Natalja Sticco - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Tereza Kralova - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% BK Davis - LIVE - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Max Dread Minaya - NOMENEE/PERFORMANCE - Performance 1% Ondrej Potucek - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 0% Best Choreography Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 19% Brad Reinking - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 14% Will Fafard Jr. - THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 9% DJ Kostka - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Jen Bertolino, Susan Chebookjian, Di Longtin, Suzanne Neuman, and Karen Rogers - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 7% Sydney T. Grant - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 7% Thayne Jasperson - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 7% Brad Reinking - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Erin Verina - HEATHERS - Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 5% Lauren Ambrose - FOOTLOOSE - Broken Leg Productions 3% Brad Reinking - GREASE THE MUSICAL - Riverside Theatre Works 3% P.J. Terranova - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 3% Teri Shea - THE WORLD GOES ROUND - Cotuit Center for the Arts 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - Burlington players 2% Best Choreography Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Tyler Hanes - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 10% Brooklyn Toli - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 10% Dylan Kerr - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 10% Taavon Gamble - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 9% Rachel Bertone - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 9% Taryn Herman - PIPPIN - Firehouse Arts Center 8% Daniel Forest Sullivan - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 7% Kenny Ingram - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 6% Larry Sousa - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - Wheelock Family Theater 6% Connor Gallagher - BEETLEJUICE - Riverside Theatre Works 5% Ilyse Robbins - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Al Blackstone - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 4% Julia Deter - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 3% Taavon Gamble - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Patrick O'Neill - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Rick Faugno - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 2% Saxon Pierce - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 0% Best Costume Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Rachel Padula-Shufelt - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 26% Paulie Devlin - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 13% Lisa Belsky - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 11% Laura Dillon - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 10% Meg McEvoy-Duane - CINDERELLA - Break a Leg Theater Works 10% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 6% Leslie Held - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 6% Carol Sherry - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Anna Silva - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 5% Kat Lawrence - ROMEO & JULIET - CSC’s Stage2 4% Bridget Austin-Weiss - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Anna Silva - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Best Costume Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Sydney Hawes - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 21% Merrie Whitney - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 9% Kelly Baker - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 9% Emerald City Costumes - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 8% Rebecca Shannon Butler - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 7% Catherine Stramer - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 6% Rachel Padula-Shufelt - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Kelly Baker - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 5% Emerald City Theatrical - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 4% Nancy Leary - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Gail Astrid Buckley - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 4% Jennifer Paar - SENSE & SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 4% Kat Lawrence - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 4% Chelsea Kerl Phelps - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Jennifer Paar - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% David R. Gammons - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 2% Jimmy Johansmeyer - MARY POPPINS - Penobscot Theatre 2% Seth Bodie - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Hunter Gannet - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Best Dance Production (Professional) THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 32% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 20% JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 18% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 15% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 13% FOXY - Kairos Dance Theater 2% Best Direction Of A Musical (Non-Professional) Zoe Bradford & Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 12% Zoe Bradford - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 8% Alexandra Dietrich - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 8% Brad Reinking & Stefani Wood - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 8% Michael Jay & Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 6% Vito Abate - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 5% Corey Cadigan - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 5% Laura Marie Duncan - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 5% Adam Joy - SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 4% Zoe Bradford - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 4% Erin verina and Kristy Errera-solomon - HEATHERS - Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 4% Dana Siegal - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 4% Wesley Savick - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% Kyle Wrentz & Healy Sammis - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 3% Jason Hair-Wynn - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 3% Steve Ross - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 3% Terry Brady - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 3% Amy Kaser - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 3% Art Devine - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% John Kennedy - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% P.J. Terranova - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 2% Jennifer Hemphill - ROCK OF AGES - Theatre workshop Nantucket 1% Donna Wresinski - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 1% Holly Hansen - GREASE THE MUSICAL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 1% Donna Wresinski - THE WORLD GOES ROUND - Cotuit Center for the Arts 0% Best Direction Of A Musical (Professional) Elizabeth Bettencourt - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 9% Maddie Roth - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% Raye Lynn Mercer - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% Julia Deter - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 8% Rachel Bertone - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 7% Alex Timers - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 7% Paul Daigneault - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 6% Taavon Gamble - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 5% Megan Blouin-Little - JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Lydia Cochran - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% Leigh Barrett - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 4% Gerry McIntyre - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 4% Courtney O'Connor - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Kenny Ingram - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% Art Devine - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% David Drake - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 3% Courtney O'Connor - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Al Blackstone - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% Charles Duke - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Patrick O' Neill - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Maura Hanlon - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 1% Joyce Chittick - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 1% James Robinson - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 1% Gino DiCapra - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Best Direction Of A Play (Non-Professional) Toni Ruscio - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 27% Michelle Aguillion - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 13% Bryn Boice - ROMEO & JULIET - CSC’s Stage2 13% Judy Hamer - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 13% Jo Brisbane - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 10% Celia Couture - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 6% Maren Caulfield - THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND - The Cannon Theatre 4% Eric Butler - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 4% Donald Sheehan - AUNTIE MAME - True Repertory 3% Kevin Nessman - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 3% Celia Couture - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 2% Greg Allen - PULLING IT ALL INTO THE CURRENT - A Revolution of Values Theatre Project 2% Best Direction Of A Play (Professional) Brooke Snow - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 9% Weylin Symes - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 9% Ali Funkhouser - THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Dawn M Simmons - K-I-S-S-I-N-G - Huntington Theatre 5% Fred Sullivan, Jr. - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 5% Myriam Cyr - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 4% Eric Tucker - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 4% Bryn Boice - ROMEO AND JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Nick Paone - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 4% David Drake - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 4% John Somers - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% Joe Couturier - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% Taibi Magar - THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL - American Repertory Theatre 4% Steven Maler - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 3% Jessica Holt - SENSE AND SENSIBILTIY - The Cape Playhouse 3% Bryn Boice - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Melory Mirashrafi - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% Bryn Boice - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 2% Myriam Cyr - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 2% Rosalind Bevan - STEW - Gloucester Stage 2% David Drake - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Courtney O'Connor - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Brendan Fox - BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Bob Kropf - BETRAYAL - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Sasha Denisova - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% Best Ensemble (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 8% A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 6% THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 6% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 4% AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 4% THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 4% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 4% SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 4% THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 4% INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 3% WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 3% THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 3% PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - The Company Theatre 3% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 2% OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 2% HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 2% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 2% NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 2% Best Ensemble (Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 9% BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 6% JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 5% SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 5% ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 4% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 4% RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 3% THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 3% ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 3% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% FAT HAM - Huntington Theatre 3% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 3% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 3% OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 2% SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 2% MABETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 2% DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 1% STEW - Gloucester Stage 1% Best Lighting Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Dean Palmer Jr. - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OEPRA - The Company Theatre 23% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 12% Olivia Sederlund - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 10% Erik Fox - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 8% Madison Gentile - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 8% Mauve Moriarty - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Mark Sherman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 6% Jeff Adelberg - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 6% Jonathan Ryder - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 5% Kasey Sheehan - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 5% Matt Guminski - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 4% Eric Jacobsen - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 4% Erin Trainor - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Best Lighting Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) David Plante - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 10% Matt Guminski - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 10% Michael Wonson - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 9% Nathaniel Packard - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% Bretton Reis - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% Corey Whittemore - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 7% Amanda Fallon - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 5% Stephen Petrilli - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 5% Phil Kong - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 4% Daisy Long - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% E. Southern & Maximo Grano De Oro - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 3% Baron E. Pugh - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Frank Meissner Jr. - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Amanda Fallon - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Patricia M. Nichols - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% JARON HERMANSON - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% Karen Perlow - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 2% Michael Clark Wonson - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Karen Perlow - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Christopher Ostrom - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 2% Kevin Fulton - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% JARON HERMANSON - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 1% Kirk Bookman - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 1% John Salutz - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Christopher Ostrom - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance (Non-Professional) Melissa Carubia - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 16% Robert McDonough - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 13% Bethany Aiken - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 8% Eli Bigelow - SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 7% David Flowers - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 6% Amanda Morgan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 6% Robert McDonough - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 6% Stefani Wood - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Chris morris - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 6% Elias Condakes - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 5% Alan Freedman - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 5% Pam Wannie - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 5% John Eldridge - THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 5% Jenny Tsai - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 3% Jeff Kimball - THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - The Vokes Players 2% Pamela Wannie - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 2% Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance (Professional) Steven Bergman - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 15% Hallie Wetzell - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% Justin Knowlton - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% Amanda Morgan - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center For The Arts 6% Dan Rodriguez - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 6% Dan Rodriguez - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 5% Justin Knowlton - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Kris Layton - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 5% Milton Granger - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 5% Jeff Kimball - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 5% Scott Storr - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% John Thomas - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 4% Gio Tio - WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 4% David Coleman - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 3% Luke Molloy - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 3% David Coleman - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - Wheelock Family Theater 3% Dan Rodriguez - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Michael Ellis Ingram - OMAR - Boston Lyric Opera 2% David Coleman - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% Matthew Smedal - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% David Angus - BLUEBEARDS CASTLE - Boston Lyric Opera 1% Dan Pardo - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 1% Mike Stapleton - SERGE CLIVIO: JOY LIVE - Regent Theatre 1% Marco Borroni - THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Kenny Smith - AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - The Cape Playhouse 0% Best Musical (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 11% BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 10% THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 5% THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 5% SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 5% AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 5% THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 4% THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 4% THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 4% WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 4% THE WEDDING SINGER - Pentucket Players 3% INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 3% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 3% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% SWEENEY TODD - MMAS 3% OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 3% THE FANTASTICKS - Provincetown Theater 2% NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL - Cape Cod Theatre Company 2% NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 2% GREASE THE MUSICAL - Riverside Theatre Works 2% ROCK OF AGES - Theatre workshop Nantucket 1% Best Musical (Professional) BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 9% ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 7% JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 7% SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 6% PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 5% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 5% JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Citizens Opera House 5% FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 4% ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 4% THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 4% RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 4% A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 3% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 3% OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Boston 3% THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 2% JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 2% THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - The Cape Playhouse 2% JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 1% PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Best New Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Born To Do This - The Company Theatre 34% THE PONY EXPRESS: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE - Lighthouse Studios: Meehan Family Arts Barn 31% HALLEY’S COMET - Massasoit Theatre Company 13% THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 9% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 8% SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 5% Best New Play Or Musical (Professional) THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 31% THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 16% THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 15% TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 9% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 8% ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 7% THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 7% LIV AT SEA - Harbor Stage Company 4% THE MAESTRO’S CABARET & OPERARIUM (PREVIEW) - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 3% Best Performer In A Musical (Non-Professional) Christie Reading - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 11% Liza Giangrande - BORN TO DO THIS - The Company Theatre 10% Keith Robinson - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% Adam Sell - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 6% Reese Racicot - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 6% Alex Norton - THE PONY EXPRESS: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE - Lighthouse Studios: Meehan Family Arts Barn 6% Max Ripley - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 4% Kindred Moore - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory at Berklee 4% Zoey Roth - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 3% Alex Norton - SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 3% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 3% Maeve McCluskey - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 2% Wil Moser - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Katie Iafolla - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Jodi Edwards - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 2% Kenny Meehan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 2% Denise Page - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Andrew Olah - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 2% Emma Walker - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 2% Diane Meehan - THE MUSIC MAN - Voices of Hope Boston 1% Janet Pohli - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 1% Sean Lally - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - Quigg Creations 1% Anthony Teixeira - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 1% Zack Johnson - COMPANY - Eventide Theatre Company 1% Marissa Sabella - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 1% Best Performer In A Musical (Professional) Amanda LoCoco - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 8% Nicki Abare - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 7% Sara Jean Ford - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Yewande Odetoyinbo - SISTER ACT - Lyric Stage Company 6% Heidi Blickenstaff - JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Citizens Opera House 5% Eleni Kontzamanys - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Lawrence Flowers - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 5% Jake Siffert - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 5% Ari Schmidt - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% Anthony Teixeira - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% Justin Collette - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 3% Beau Jackett - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 3% Liesie Kelly - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Emma Robertson - INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 3% Kayla Shimizu - THE LITTLE MERMAID - Reagle Music Theatre 2% Andy Cico - THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% Emily Koch - VIOLET - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Kelsey Seaman - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Johnny Kuntz - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% Jaden Dominque - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Jared Troilo - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 2% E.J. Service - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 2% Christopher Chew - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Nick Paone - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 1% Robert St. Laurence - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Best Performer In A Play (Non-Professional) Madeline Bonatti - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 16% Ricky DeSisto - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 9% Aiden O’Neal - INDECENT - Concord Players 8% Missy Potash - STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 7% Jennifer Bean - MISS HOLMES - The Footlight Club 7% Josh Telepman - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 5% Paul Melendy - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 5% Kenny Lockwood - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Ryan Van Buskirk - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 4% Sandra Basile - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 4% Jennifer Shea - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 4% Scott Salley - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 3% Emma Hennessey - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Michael Jay - INDECENT - Concord Players 3% Lily Anderson - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 2% Robin Shropshire - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 2% David Foster - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 2% Kimberly Blaise - PERFECT ARRANGEMENT - Quanapowitt Players 2% Kathy Koerwer - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 2% Craig Chiampa - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 2% Andrew Rhoades - MOON OVER BUFFALO - TCAN 2% Linnea Lyerly - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 1% Glenn A. Pierce - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 1% Best Performer In A Play (Professional) Brayden Toth - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% Elena Doyno - THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 8% Eddie Shields - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 8% Noah Silverman - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Lily Ayotte - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Noah Greenstein - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 5% Thomika Bridwell - CHICKEN AND BISCUITS - Front Porch Arts Collective 5% Jack Greenberg - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 4% Christina Pierro Biggins - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% Tyler Simahk - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 4% Cheryl D. Singleton - STEW - Gloucester Stage 3% Paul Melendy - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 3% Scott Douglas Cunningham - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 3% Jim Manclark - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Nora Eschenheimer - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Jenn Gambatese - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Sam Brinkley - ONCE - Priscilla Beach Theatre 2% Michael Liebhauser - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 2% David Lee Huynh - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% Kathleen Pickett - INTO THE BREECHES - Hub Theatre Company 2% Marc Pierre - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Brenda Withers - BETRAYAL - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Kathy McCafferty - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Pedro Gonzalez - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Bonniejean Wilbur - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 1% Best Play (Non-Professional) A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 17% INDECENT - Concord Players 12% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 11% A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 9% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 8% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 8% THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 6% DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 6% SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 5% ALL MY SONS - Eventide Theatre Company 5% HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 4% BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 3% AUNTIE MAME - True Repertory 2% MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 2% FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 2% Best Play (Professional) THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 12% CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 10% WHITE CHRISTMAS - New Bedford Festival Theatre 9% THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 8% ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 7% THE WOLVES - Franklin Performing Arts Company 7% MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 5% RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 4% DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 3% CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 3% CHICKEN AND BISCUITS - Front Porch Arts Collective 3% AS YOU LIKE IT - Actors Shakespeare Project 3% STEW - Gloucester Stage 3% ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% FAIRVIEW - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL - American Repertory Theatre 2% BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 2% THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 1% THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 1% THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 1% BETRAYAL - WHAT and Harbor Stage 1% Best Production of an Opera (Professional) MADAME BUTTERFLY - Boston Lyric Opera 38% OMAR - Boston Lyric Opera 17% CARMEN- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 11% AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 10% LA TRAGÉDIE DE CARMEN - Seaglass Theater Company 6% BLUEBEARDS CASTLE/FOUR SONGS - Boston Lyric Opera 5% VINCERO! - Mystic Side Opera Company 5% TOSCA- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 4% IL TROVATORE- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 3% UN BALLO IN MASCHERA- MYSTIC SIDE OPERA - Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Ryan Barrow - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 12% Ryan Barrow - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 10% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 7% Jeremy Barnett - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 7% Ryan Barrow - SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 7% Corey Cadigan, Rod Chandler, Tim Gregor - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 7% Aaron Stolicker - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% Mark Roderick - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 6% Cristina Todesco - AS YOU LIKE IT - Boston Conservatory 5% Josh Telepman - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 5% Ryan Barrow - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 5% Nathan Fogg-DeSisto - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 5% Richard Chambers - METAMORPHESES - Suffolk University Theatre Department 3% Jennifer Shea - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Mark Roderick - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Jeffrey Peterson - WORKING - Suffolk University Theatre Department 2% Charles Carr - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% Mark Roderick - OKLAHOMA! - Academy of Performing Arts 1% Andrew Arnault - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 1% Ed Savage - SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS - WCLOC Theater Company 1% Ed Council - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 1% Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Trevor Elliott - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 18% Aaron Frongillo - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 10% David Plante - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 6% Justin Lahue - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Kathy Monthei - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 5% Riw Rakkulchon - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 5% Ellen Rousseau - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 4% Ryan McGettigan - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - Cape Rep Theatre 4% David Arsenault - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 4% Peter Colao - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 4% Baron E. Pugh - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 4% Shelley Barish - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Janie Howland - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Janie E. Howland - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 3% Ryan McGettigan - ARCHIBALD AVERY - Cape Rep Theatre 3% Christopher Ostrom - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Kristen Martino - CAMELOT - The Cape Playhouse 2% Lindsay Fuori - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 2% Ryan Howell - AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - The Cape Playhouse 2% Ellen Rousseau - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Christopher Ostrom - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Justin Lahue - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Allen Moyer - AWAKENINGS - Odyssey Opera and BMOP 1% Irina Kruzhilina - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% ALEXANDER WOODWARD - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 1% Best Sound Design Of A Play Or Musical (Non-Professional) Sally Ashton Forrest - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 32% Hallie Grace Nowicki - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 12% Greg Dana - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 11% Ethan Steele - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 9% Michael Jay - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 8% Nick Waterman - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 7% Pat Dzierak - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 6% Robert Passcucci - MAYTAG VIRGIN - The Vokes Players 4% Erin Trainor and Jo Brisbane - THREE LITTLE GIRLS DOWN A WELL - Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 4% James Gross - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 3% J. Mark Baumhardt - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% Ned Bailey-Adams - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 2% Best Sound Design Of A Play Or Musical (Professional) Jason Choquette - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 12% Derek Pisano - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Franklin Performing Arts Company 11% Jason Choquette - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 10% Alex Berg - SOUND OF MUSIC - North Shore Music Theatre 9% Tom Powers - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 7% Jonathan Bell - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 6% David Drake - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 5% Ted Kearnan - ROMEO & JULIET - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 5% Alex Berg - ASSASSINS - Lyric Stage Boston 4% VICTORIA (TOY) DEIORIO - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 4% Dewey Dellay - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Boston 4% David Remedios - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - Greater Boston Stage Company 4% Ash - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% David Remedios - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 2% Megan Culley - JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Elizabeth Cahill - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Grace Oberhofer - THE PICKLEBALL WARS - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Jacob Levitan - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Grace Oberhofer - THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) - Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 2% Brendan F. Doyle - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 2% Dewey Dellay/Andrew Duncan Will - ROOTED - Lyric Stage Boston 1% Jacob Levitan - JERSEY BOYS - The Cape Playhouse 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Musical (Non-Professional) Christie Reading - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 9% Ana Viveros - BORN TO DO THIS - THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA - The Company Theatre 7% Dru Daniels - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 7% Alex Norton - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 4% Ben Oehlkers - A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE - The Footlight Club 4% Ts Burnham - INTO THE WOODS - Colonial Chorus Players 4% Savannah Nosek - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 4% Aaron Swiniuch - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 4% Jennifer Glick - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 4% Mary Mahoney - WORKING - Suffolk Theatre Department 3% Wil Moser - NEXT TO NORMAL - Eventide Theatre Company 3% Sean Lally - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - Quigg Creations 3% Ariel Sargent - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 2% Demi DiCarlo - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Anne Vohs - AMERICAN IDIOT - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Cadie Holbrook - THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - The Theatre Institute 2% Amanda Vazquez - COMPANY - Academy of Performing Arts 2% Eowyn Young - SPRING AWAKENING - Riverside Theatre Works 2% Timothy Bevens - THE SECRET GARDEN - The Company Theatre 2% Susan Wentworth Austin - NUNSENSE - Arlington Friends of the Drama 2% Erin Anderson - THE GREAT GATSBY - Marblehead Little Theatre 2% Bradley Boutcher - THE TRAIL TO OREGON - Yorick Ensemble 2% Dani Masterpolo - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 2% Janet Ferreri - CABARET - Riverside Theatre Works 1% Harry Ohlson - PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Musical (Professional) Quinn Kearney - MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 8% Jesse Luttrell - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 5% Chris Bradley - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 4% Allison Sheppard - JAGGED LITTLE PILL - Boston Opera House 4% Isabella Esler - BEETLEJUICE - Citizens Opera House 4% Tori Heinlein - SOUND OF MUSIC - North Shore Music Theatre 4% Jack Mullen - OKLAHOMA! - Reagle Music Theatre 3% Kathy St. George - THE FULL MONTY - North Shore Music Theatre 3% Jen Stearns - FUN HOME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% David Livingston - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 3% Aimee Doherty - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Dan Kelly - PIPPIN - Firehouse Center for the Arts 3% Anthony Pires, Jr - PRELUDES - Lyric Stage Company 3% Jared Troilo - THE PROM - SpeakEasy Stage Company 3% Gavin Davis - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% Patrick Falk - ROCK OF AGES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 2% Gracin Wilkins - INTO THE WOODS - Actors Company of Natick 2% Ali Funkhouser - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Christopher Rice-Thomson - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Katie Gray - SOMETHING ROTTEN! - Franklin Performing Arts Company 2% Brian Demar Jones - RENT - The Umbrella Stage Company 2% Neil Jeronimo - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Lawrence Flowers - THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 2% Julia Anthon - THE MAD ONES - Studio Theatre Worcester 2% Kenneth Lonergan - THE FANTASTICKS: REIMAGINED - Provincetown Theater 2% Best Supporting Performer In A Play (Non-Professional) Scotty Kippenhan - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 14% Suzy Cosgrove - A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 11% Noah Greenstein - RITE OF PASSAGE - Punctuate4 Productions 10% Josh Telepman - DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Arlington Friends of the Drama 10% Mike barry - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Academy of Performing Arts 8% Rama Rodriguez - MEASURE FOR MEASURE - Mass Arts Center 6% Allison Rudmann Putnam - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 6% Will Dalley - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 4% Lauren Elias - LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE - Hub Theatre Company 4% Nik Kubek - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% George Kippenhan - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Erin Thomas-Lopatosky - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Gail Bishop Nessman - FARCE OF HABIT - Acme Theatre Company 3% Ian Law - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 3% Nancy Finn - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 3% JoAnn Kaplan - BLITHE SPIRIT - TCAN 3% Kyle Kashgagian - A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 2% Gordon Ellis - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 1% Adam Heroux - HANDBAGGED - The Hovey Players 1% Best Supporting Performer In A Play (Professional) Kim Frigon - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 11% Dan Kelly - CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Firehouse Center for the Arts 8% Zaven Ovian - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 8% Anjie Parker - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 7% Jessica Golden - MACBETH - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 6% Charley Eastman - THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME - Franklin Performing Arts Company 6% Mary Sapp - DOUBT, A PARABLE - Firehouse Center for the Arts 6% June Dever - INTO THE BREECHES - Studio Theatre Worcester 4% JJ Hernández - TALL TALES FROM BLACKBURN TAVERN - Gloucester Stage 4% Alexander Platt - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 4% Bobbie Steinbach - AS YOU LIKE IT - Actors Shakespeare Project 3% Kari Buckley - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 3% Barlow Adamson - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 2% Dan Whelton - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 2% Kelby T. Akin - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG - Lyric Stage Company 2% Debra Wise - ANGELS IN AMERICA - Central Square Theater 2% CHRISTOPHER TRAMANTANA - SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - The Cape Playhouse 2% Jadah Carroll - THE HUMANS - Provincetown Theater 2% Josephine Moshiri Elwood - ENGLISH - SpeakEasy Stage Company 2% Kenneth Lockwood - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% Jihan Haddad - THE GREAT LEAP - Lyric Stage Boston 2% Laura Scribner - CASA VALENTINA - Provincetown Theater 2% Brian Owens - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 1% Robert Walsh - THE GAAGA - Arlekin Players 1% Nisi Sturgis - BASKERVILLE - The Cape Playhouse 1% Best Theatre For Young Audiences Production (Non-Professional) MATILDA THE MUSICAL - The Company Theatre 22% SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - The Company Theatre 16% CHICAGO - The Company Theatre 14% A WRINKLE IN TIME - Triad Theatre Company 12% WINNIE THE POOH - Academy of Performing Arts 11% DRAGONS LOVE TACOS - Cape Cod Theatre Company 8% CINDERELLA - Break a Leg Theater Works 5% PIPPIN - Break a Leg Theater Works 5% FOOTLOOSE - Broken Leg Productions 4% A CHRISTMAS STORY - Massasoit Theatre Company 4% Best Theatre For Young Audiences Production (Professional) CHICAGO - The Company Theatre 37% THE WIZ - New Bedford Festival Theatre 24% JUNIE B. JONES THE MUSICAL - Firehouse Center for the Arts 15% JUNIE B. JONES - Firehouse Center for the Arts 10% CINDERELLA - Tanglewood Marionettes 10% ROOTS A FARM TO FARM TO CIRCUS SHOW - Payomet 4% Favorite Local Theatre (Non-Professional) The Company Theatre 23% Marblehead Little Theatre 9% The Footlight Club 6% New Bedford Festival Theatre 6% Academy of Performing Arts 5% Triad Theatre Company 5% Quigg Creations 4% The Theatre Institute 4% Yorick Ensemble 4% Concord Players 3% Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA 3% Riverside Theatre Works 3% Cape Cod Theatre Company 3% Break a Leg Theater Works 3% Provincetown Theater 2% Massasoit Theatre Company 2% Spotlight Music and Theater Academy 2% Hub Theatre Company 2% Cape Rep Theatre 2% WCLOC Theater Company 2% The Hovey Players 2% The Vokes Players 1% TCAN 1% Arlekin Players 1% Theatre III 1% Favorite Local Theatre (Professional) North Shore Music Theatre 13% New Bedford Festival Theatre 12% Lyric Stage Company 7% Franklin Performing Arts Company 7% Riverside Theatre Works 7% SpeakEasy Stage Company 6% The Umbrella Stage Company 5% Studio Theatre Worcester 5% Reagle Music Theatre 4% Cape Rep Theatre 4% Provincetown Theater 4% The Cape Playhouse 4% Moonbox Productions 3% Actors Company of Natick 3% Priscilla Beach Theatre 3% Punctuate4 Productions 3% Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 3% Front Porch Arts Collective 3% Hub Theatre Company 1% Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 1% Arlekin Players 1% Wilbur Fiske Haven House 1% Seaglass Theater Company 0% WHAT and Harbor Stage 0%

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0business

See all homes sold in Worcester County, Jan. 7 to Jan. 13

The following is a listing of all home transfers in Worcester County reported from Jan. 7 to Jan. 13. There were 154 transactions posted during this time. During this period, the median sale for the area was a 3,520-square-foot home on Westminster Street in Fitchburg that sold for $400,000. Ashburnham 13 Page Ave., Ashburnham, $115,000, 888 square feet, $130 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom.

18c03a2e7200d90248166d20d6f3eee4

4politics

Boston looks at possibility of creating a Universal Basic Income

Boston officials are considering a proposal to become the next Massachusetts city to test the creation of a Guaranteed Basic Income program.Members of the Boston City Council's Ways and Means Committee discussed the issue for more than two hours on Monday, and it appears again on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting of the full council. The proposed order is a first step, which would require that the City Council hold a hearing to discuss the implementation of a Temporary Guaranteed Income Program for individuals living below the poverty line in the city. It was offered by Councilor Kendra Lara and six other members of the council. Within the proposed order, councilors site statistics including that almost 1-in-5 Boston residents are living in poverty and that the child poverty rate is almost 1 in 3. It also references experiments with Universal Basic Income in Cambridge, Chelsea and the State of Alaska. "A Boston (Guaranteed Basic Income) trial program would provide important qualitative and quantitative data to further actions that have been taken at the state level to pass legislation that would provide a guaranteed minimum income to all Massachusetts families," the proposal states. If a hearing on the subject is ordered, the council would be required to invite stakeholders to provide input on the program, including the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Department, Treasury, Equity and Inclusion Department and community advocates. Boston officials are considering a proposal to become the next Massachusetts city to test the creation of a Guaranteed Basic Income program. Members of the Boston City Council's Ways and Means Committee discussed the issue for more than two hours on Monday, and it appears again on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting of the full council. Advertisement The proposed order is a first step, which would require that the City Council hold a hearing to discuss the implementation of a Temporary Guaranteed Income Program for individuals living below the poverty line in the city. It was offered by Councilor Kendra Lara and six other members of the council. Within the proposed order, councilors site statistics including that almost 1-in-5 Boston residents are living in poverty and that the child poverty rate is almost 1 in 3. It also references experiments with Universal Basic Income in Cambridge, Chelsea and the State of Alaska. "A Boston (Guaranteed Basic Income) trial program would provide important qualitative and quantitative data to further actions that have been taken at the state level to pass legislation that would provide a guaranteed minimum income to all Massachusetts families," the proposal states. If a hearing on the subject is ordered, the council would be required to invite stakeholders to provide input on the program, including the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Department, Treasury, Equity and Inclusion Department and community advocates.

fa6e20dc968db024d4bf8c2c7a364d16

3entertainment

Two dead in Boston rollover car crash, one critically injured

Manohla Dargis A Thrilling Bounty I had a terrific movie year — you? I saw hundreds of new films with a variety of plots and styles made on every imaginable scale and budget. Some were from newcomers like A.V. Rockwell and others from the ever-new Martin Scorsese. Some you’ve heard of or will, while others scarcely made a ripple. Some were released by independents like A24 and the tiny KimStim; others came from tech companies and still others from what are now often called legacy studios, a vaguely eulogistic term that suggests influence but also obsolescence. The movies have ostensibly been at death’s door at least since the shift to sync sound, which isn’t to undersell the industry’s business woes. When the year began, it was still recovering from pandemic-forced shutdowns and slowdowns. “As 2023 Begins, Worry and Fear Linger After a Topsy-Turvy Year,” The Hollywood Reporter fretted, calling the ups and downs of the 2022 box office “dramatic.” Yet some Wall Street analysts were bullish on moviegoing. “We’re seeing a resurgence of interest back in the theaters,” one analyst told Yahoo in late January. I had just returned from the bounty at the Sundance Film Festival and was feeling bullish, too. As winter gave way to spring and summer, several of my favorite movies had been released in theaters and I had previewed several others at Cannes, where I had again been buoyed by what I had seen. At the same time, the drumbeat of worrying industry news continued when the Writers Guild went on strike on May 2 and several sure-bet blockbusters failed to charm audiences into theaters. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was “cursed,” read one headline; “‘Mission: Impossible 7’ falls short of expectations,” ran another. The moaning in the trades gave way to klaxon horns when much of SAG-AFTRA went on strike on July 14. Two days later Barry Diller, who once ran Paramount, warned that the strikes could lead to the industry’s “absolute collapse.” Five days later, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opened. That phenom dubbed Barbenheimer buoyed the box office, the strikes ended, and here we are. It’s tempting to repeat William Goldman’s axiom that “nobody knows anything” and leave it at that. Except that this year also reminded us of some things that we have known for a while, including that women directors can make any kind of movie, from the intimately scaled to larger-than-life productions that become monster hits. This year also reminded us that a mass audience will happily get out of the house for movies without superheroes. And, on occasion, it won’t show up for movies with them, which was evident after disappointments from both the DC and Marvel studios as “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “Shazam: Fury of the Gods,” “The Flash,” “Blue Beetle” and “The Marvels” sputtered in theaters.

b7a91b85d2ce0dac69fab4051ac7ea0f

4politics

At World Court, Israel to Confront Accusations of Genocide

Two weeks ago, Zvika Arran reluctantly drew a gun at an Israeli state-run shooting class for those seeking firearms licenses, part of a massive spike in applications since the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7. Mr. Arran said he was repelled by the idea of owning the pistol that now sits in a safe in his house. But his sense of security, like that of so many Israelis, was shattered when Hamas fighters overran communities near the Gaza Strip, killing an estimated 1,200 people and abducting more than 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials. “God forbid, if something similar happens here, I want to know that I have a firearm,” said Mr. Arran, 48, who lives in Eliav, a small town that borders the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “The problem is the side effects” of proliferating guns, he added, which he called “a disaster for years to come.” “It shows that the state has simply given up on protecting us,” he added. “And it will be a disaster in encouraging violence on the roads, domestic violence and gunfire accidents.”

516ea275e4b0606488497c69019a8670

4politics

Hamas and Israel Extend Cease-Fire for 2 Days, Qatar Says

The deal came after an Israeli offer to continue the cease-fire by one day for every additional 10 hostages released, who would be exchanged for 30 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. The Israeli hostages released on Monday were three women and eight children, all of them kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, when more than 200 people were seized and taken to Gaza. They included Sharon Alony Cunio, 34, and her twin 3-year-old daughters, Emma and Yuli Cunio, three of the six members of their family who were taken hostage. David Cunio, the twins’ father and Ms. Cunio’s husband, is believed to still be in Gaza. Her sister and niece were released on Friday. The French government said three of those released on Monday were dual Israeli-French citizens. A number of those kidnapped have dual nationalities, including about 10 Israeli-Americans, of whom only one, a 4-year-old girl, has been released. Hamas said it had received a list of three women and 30 minors that Israel would release in return on Monday. The exchanges so far have focused on Israeli and Palestinian women and minors. Dozens of Israeli soldiers as well as civilian Israeli men in their 70s and 80s are still being held captive in Gaza. In several cases, children have been released without their fathers, and wives without their husbands. Family separations have been a stumbling block in the hostage negotiations. Israeli officials have expressed concerns to Qatari mediators that some children were being released without mothers who were also being held captive, running counter to the agreement, according to an official briefed on the talks. The official said Hamas has said that in those cases, the mothers are being held by different groups, and it would take time to get them. Late Monday, Israel’s Army Radio, citing the prime minister’s office, reported that the government had received a list of hostages held by Hamas who are expected to be released on Tuesday. The swap of hostages and prisoners is being negotiated by the government of Qatar, where many of Hamas’s political leaders live, and which has long acted as an intermediary for nations that refuse to deal directly with Hamas.

7b74644ca854669da0124a81558dfa7a

6sports

Boston First Night celebrations kick off

A crowd of more than one hundred — adorned with wool hats and red noses — filled the plaza at the onset, growing steadily as the day went on. The festivities kicked off at 11:11 a.m. with a vocal performance by Hyde Park’s Sweet Harmony, who sang a medley that glided from the Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It to the Streets” into Earth Wind and Fire’s “September,” and beyond. For hours afterward, the energy only grew, as midnight drew nearer. Hundreds of revelers flooded City Hall Plaza and spilled into the surrounding streets Sunday for Boston’s iconic First Night New Year’s Eve celebration, filling the final chilly hours of 2023 with music and dancing. Advertisement First Night celebrations continue at City Hall and across Boston until 12:30 a.m. New Year’s Day. They include back-to-back shows on the plaza; an organ performance at the The First Church of Christ, Scientist; an evening figure skating spectacular on the Boston Common Frog Pond; and midnight fireworks over Boston Harbor. Established in 1976, the event has provided dance, music, art, and fireworks to the area for 47 years. As the music echoed off the brick and concrete of City Hall Plaza Sunday morning, Roxbury resident Lisa Lee moved her hips and sang along to Sweet Harmony’s rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman.” She wore a leopard-print hat and a wide smile. Lee said she had not been to First Night in years, though she used to help build decorations for the parade. Just a few minutes into this year’s festivities, Lee said things were “so far, so good.” “I’ve got something to dance to,” Lee said. “It makes my soul happy, and it keeps me warm.” Behind her, a team of artists chipped away at ice sculptures highlighting some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Handsaws and drills whirred and whizzed against a frozen Citgo sign and the golden dome of an icy State House. Advertisement Ivan Kousidis leaned against a barricade, watching closely as plumes of ice shavings floated through the air. Earlier that morning, Kousidis and his wife walked from their North End home to the Common, where he said they saw other ice sculptures scattered through the park. He said the walk from City Hall to the Common — especially at night, when performers and a parade fill the area — is his favorite part of the celebration. “We come every year, it’s a tradition,” Kousidis said. ”You only have a certain number of these in your life, so you don’t want to miss any.” It was a similarly bustling scene inside City Hall, where children and families made paper dragons, practiced writing Chinese characters, and tied pipe cleaner snowflakes at an arts and crafts table sponsored by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association. Genevieve Parent took the T from Medford into downtown with her twin daughters, who threaded beads onto pipe cleaners as they waited to have their faces painted: one with a shooting star on her cheek, the other with a flower. “It was nice to have a place inside to go to,” Parent said. Up the stairs, players from the Boston Guzheng Ensemble plucked out traditional tunes for a tightly packed crowd. By 2:10 in the afternoon, the building’s concrete atrium was overwhelmed with a cacophony of percussion, as others struck bass drums and clapped hand cymbals before ushering in dancers with the local Angel Dance Troupe. Advertisement Some people took a moment to step back from the festivities, chomping down on handfuls of cotton candy and platters of fried dough. Marley Norton of Quincy sat on a stone bench reading and waiting for her partner, a performer with Boston Music Project, which was scheduled to play at City Hall Sunday afternoon. Norton grew up in Beverly, and she just graduated from UMass Amherst, where she was part of the marching band. ”I love live music,” she shouted over the sounds rolling over the plaza. “I love these live concerts, they’re great for the community.” Meanwhile, on the Greenway, scores of families frolicked near the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove Carousel. Young children rode fanciful characters like oversized rabbits and butterflies, their parents along for the ride. Among them was Chris Dubois of South Boston, who hopped off the ride with his 2-year-old daughter Audrey. This was Audrey’s first First Night, but not their first go around on the carousel, he said. They rode it Saturday, and were back again Sunday. ”It’s a lot of fun,” Dubois said. “Especially since its free.” A line of parents and kids wrapped around the ride, waiting for the carousel to come to a halt and allow its grinning passengers to run off, some holding the hands of mom or dad, some angling to get back in line for another ride. Nearby, people stood in loose lines to take selfies and photos with a pair of man-sized ice sculptures — one a lighthouse with a blinking signal light, the other of a large bird seemingly in flight over the number “2024.” Advertisement That crowd included Danielle Malvesti, who pointed her phone at her husband, Nick Malvesti, and their 4-year old-son, Ben. The boy stood next to the New Year’s sculpture, his dad crouched close by him. Next to Danielle Malvesti was their daughter, Olivia, 1, swaddled up in a stroller. This was the Quincy family’s first time at First Night, and they were still exploring the festivities, Danielle Malvesti said. But they had at least one goal: staying warm. “We are going to owe these guys hot chocolate, and cookies,” she said. Daniel Kool can be reached at daniel.kool@globe.com. Follow him @dekool01. John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com.

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7weather

The Parade of Unsettled Weather Will Continue Into the Weekend

Pandemic. War. Now drought. Olive groves have shriveled in Tunisia. The Brazilian Amazon faces its driest season in a century. Wheat fields have been decimated in Syria and Iraq, pushing millions more into hunger after years of conflict. The Panama Canal, a vital trade artery, doesn’t have enough water, which means fewer ships can pass through. And the fear of drought has prompted India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, to restrict the export of most rice varieties. The United Nations estimates that 1.84 billion people worldwide, or nearly a quarter of humanity, were living under drought in 2022 and 2023, the vast majority in low- and middle-income countries. “Droughts operate in silence, often going unnoticed and failing to provoke an immediate public and political response,” wrote Ibrahim Thiaw, head of the United Nations agency that issued the estimates late last year, in his foreword to the report. The many droughts around the world come at a time of record-high global temperatures and rising food-price inflation, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, involving two countries that are major producers of wheat, has thrown global food supply chains into turmoil, punishing the world’s poorest people.

61a3d18588ea6a579e9b33ccadb56f52

0business

Inflation jumps 0.3% in December, higher than expected

The Labor Department said Thursday that the consumer price index, a broad measure of the price of everyday goods including gasoline, groceries and rent, rose 0.3% in December from the previous month, more than expected. Prices climbed 3.4% from the same time last year, which is higher than both the estimate by Refinitiv economists and the 3.1% gain recorded in November. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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5science

In the battle to build more housing, Massachusetts is making gains

The law was controversial because it diluted home rule, something legislators have treated as sacrosanct despite a century’s worth of evidence that towns have used that authority to limit growth, promote segregation, and harm the state’s overall economic well-being . This year began with a lot of anxiety about housing — and, in particular, whether Boston’s suburbs would comply with a controversial new state law that requires them to allow more of the kind of apartment and condo buildings that many of them have a well-earned reputation for resisting. A few local politicians made noise about resisting the law. But so far, municipalities have largely complied, often with an enthusiasm that belies their histories as hotbeds of NIMBYism. Advertisement In one suburb after another, towns adopted new zoning that in some cases went even beyond the law’s requirements. In town meetings, the vote was often lopsided in favor of change: Lexington, 107 to 63; Arlington, 189 to 35; Brookline, 207 to 33. Those actions will make building new construction easier and more predictable, hopefully leading to more of it. Get The Primary Source Globe Opinion's weekly take on politics, delivered every Wednesday. Enter Email Sign Up A view of construction underway in Everett. A new state law has prompted communities to loosen their zoning regulations for multifamily housing, which should lead to more of it over time. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff It hasn’t all been smooth sailing: Newton’s City Council ended up doing just about the bare minimum to comply. Milton’s Town Meeting approved its plan, but citizens appear to have gathered enough signatures to force a referendum seeking to overturn the vote. But the bottom line is that, so far, each of the 12 communities with a deadline this year has at least tried to meet it. To a certain extent, the local votes show just how bad the housing shortage and resulting price inflation in Massachusetts has become. When even voters in places like Lexington and Brookline are willing to allow the kind of multifamily housing that they and their ancestors fought so hard against, you know it’s gotten bad in the market. The price of housing rose more than 10 percent in Greater Boston in 2023, and the median single-family home went for $829,950, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors. Rents are similarly stratospheric. Suburban homeowners may like those rising property values, but they don’t like seeing their kids move far away because they can’t afford to live here. There is also far more public attention on the damaging environmental and social consequences of exclusionary zoning, which may be shifting public opinion in a more altruistic direction. Advertisement Still, there’s no reason to imagine so many large suburbs would have rezoned in a single year without prompting. Which is why legislators should view the law’s early success as vindication for state intervention — and proof that a stronger state hand in housing is not only the right thing to do but also might even be welcome. Indeed, the strong margins in town meetings are enough to make you wonder if the hostility to housing in the suburbs was never more than just a bugaboo for the small minority that happened to show up at meetings. State pressure is necessary because Boston's suburbs have a well-earned reputation for resisting new housing. In 2004, a sign protested proposed construction of a proposed development in Bedford. By giving localities the legal tools to thwart housing, the state let them create the housing shortage Massachusetts finds itself in now. Pat Greenhouse Regardless, the next step should be for the state to build on this law and extend the state’s role. In her first year in office, Governor Maura Healey has taken several notable steps on housing, including appointing a housing czar and championing funds for market-rate housing. Her most important decision, though, may have been a provision in her proposed housing bond bill that requires communities to allow “in-law” apartments, which would build on the precedent of the MBTA law by again forcing communities’ hands. It is projected to add 8,000 new housing units statewide. Advertisement Defenders of home rule oppose that proposal. But the positive results of the MBTA law so far are a strong argument that the state can and should exert more power over housing — and not just over zoning but also over the whole gamut of financial, logistical, and environmental policies that determine how much is built, where, and for whom. The Globe editorial page has made the case this year for some of the ways the state could step up. It could, for instance, put more teeth in the Community Preservation Act, to force towns that accept state funds for the program to spend more of it on housing. It could standardize applications for income-restricted housing. It could change the way it awards tax credits to pressure developers to build subsidized housing for families, not just senior citizens. People waited in line for an income-restricted housing lottery in Boston in 2017. Housing set aside for low-income people is hard to find and hard to apply for. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff For the Healey administration, it should mean continuing to hold towns to account if they violate either the letter or the spirit of the law. In 2024, scores more municipalities will be required to zone areas for denser housing. Healey’s housing czar, Edward Augustus, sent a good message when he implicitly threatened that the administration would yank funding for a commuter rail station in Newton if the city didn’t include its vicinity in the rezoning plan. The city ended up including it, and other communities hopefully got the message that the state really means business. Advertisement Sustained pressure and leadership from the state is essential, because the truth is that the state’s housing deficit will take years to overcome. Massachusetts needs up to 200,000 new housing units by 2030, which would require it to produce housing at a much faster rate. The state only approved 18,940 private housing units in 2022, according to the St. Louis Fed, and the numbers for 2023 are shaping up to be even worse. The zoning changes approved in towns this year are only a first step at fixing the imbalance; now developers have to actually take advantage of those loosened regulations. A view of a condo development in Danvers. Massachusetts is still not building nearly enough new housing to meet its needs. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Until those numbers rise, house hunters will continue to suffer from rising housing prices. Businesses will find it harder to attract employees. Renters will crowd into unsafe living conditions. Homelessness will linger. For a place that proudly insists on calling itself a commonwealth instead of merely a state, Massachusetts has tiptoed around the sacred cow of local control for far too long. That is finally starting to change. If there’s one important takeaway from 2023, it’s that the state’s role in housing can’t be merely to ask politely for more. It’s time to use all the powers at the state’s disposal to insist on it. Advertisement Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us @GlobeOpinion.

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4politics

Grant helps Springfield buy more nonlethal BoloWrap restraints

SPRINGFIELD — City police officers will expand their inventory of nonlethal BolaWrap restraint devices using a new federal grant. Springfield will receive $49,982 from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno’s office said in a statement. The money will purchase BolaWrap devices, nonlethal BolaWrap cassettes — which are the cartridges that launch the nonlethal restraint — and training for 108 officers and supervisors.

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4politics

Three Questions About Iowa

So far, the 2024 presidential campaign looks to be the least competitive in decades. The incumbent president is likely to win the Democratic nomination easily, while a former president seems to be running away with the Republican nomination. Of course, this conclusion is based only on opinion polls, rather than actual voting. By tonight, however, voting will have begun, at least on the Republican side, thanks to the Iowa caucuses. Today’s newsletter offers a preview, in the form of three questions. 1. What’s the biggest story tonight? Don’t get distracted by secondary issues. The big question is whether Donald Trump wins the landslide victory that polls have forecast. If he does, it will be the clearest sign yet that he is on pace to join Richard Nixon, Franklin D. Roosevelt and only a handful of earlier politicians who won the nomination of a major party at least three-times. Recent polls have shown Trump receiving around 50 percent of the Republican vote in Iowa, with Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis both at 20 percent or below. The only other significant candidate remaining is Vivek Ramaswamy, who has been polling below 10 percent.

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1crime

Alleged subway urinator and female friend charged with assaulting rider, 72

Crime Alleged subway urinator and female friend charged with assaulting rider, 72 The couple allegedly resorted to name-calling and physical violence after the 72-year-old spotted the male suspect urinating on the platform. The Government Center MBTA station. Ryan Breslin/Boston.com, File A man and a woman were arrested on New Year’s Day after allegedly assaulting a 72-year-old at the Government Center T station, according to officials. The couple resorted to name-calling when the alleged victim spotted the male suspect urinating in a corner of the platform around 8 p.m. Monday, MBTA Transit Police said in a statement. The pair then approached the older man and allegedly assaulted him. The 72-year-old was taken to the hospital with a head injury, police said.

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3entertainment

Hoophall Classic showcases countrys top talent, celebrity appearances, and sell out crowds

SPRINGFIELD - With three days of sold out crowds, the Spalding Hoophall Classic remains a big hit for Springfield and the surrounding area. There were celebrity appearances by American rapper and songwriter Ice Cube, NBA hall of famer Ray Allen, and former NBA legend Carmelo Anthony. A standing room only crowd filled Blake Arena for games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, to watch some of the best high school players in the country.

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6sports

NFC Wild Card tickets: Where to buy Rams vs. Lions tickets

The Detroit Lions won their first division title in three decades and will now host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round of the playoffs on Sunday, Jan. 14. Carson Wentz threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead the Los Angeles Rams to a 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers to clinch the sixth seed in the NFC. The NFC Wild Card matchup will be on Sunday, January 14 at 8 p.m. EST. Fans looking to attend this NFL playoff game in person have plenty of options and can shop around at StubHub and *VividSeats. *New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.* If you need to travel outside your local area to get to this game, head over to TripAdvisor, VRBO, Marriott or Booking.com for deals on everything from car rentals to airfare to hotels. As of Monday, January 8, the cheapest tickets are $429 on StubHub and $399 on VividSeats. Who: Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams When: Sunday, January 14 at 8 p.m. EST Where: Ford Field in Detroit, MI Stream: fuboTV (free trial); or Sling; or DirecTV Stream Tickets: StubHub and VividSeats Gear: Shop around for jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies and more at Fanatics.com Sports Betting Promos: NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses. RELATED CONTENT: DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell was determined to close the regular season with a win, taking the risk of getting players hurt in hopes of moving from the No. 3 to the No. 2 seed in the NFC and potentially hosting two or more playoff games. Detroit won a franchise record-tying 12th game, beating Minnesota, but lost standout rookie tight end Sam LaPorta to a potentially serious knee injury. LaPorta had a 2-yard touchdown catch midway through the first quarter and later limped off the field with a knee injury as the Lions went on to beat the Vikings 30-20 on Sunday. It was an ominous development for the NFC champions a week before the postseason. “You’re either all in or all out,” Campbell said. Detroit (12-5) matched the 1991 team’s win total and will host a playoff game for the first time since the 1993 season, when it played at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Lions secured the No. 3 seed by winning a division title for the first time in three decades. They needed Dallas to lose later Sunday at Washington to move up a spot in the NFC, but the Cowboys had no trouble with the last-place Commanders, winning 38-10 to earn the No. 2 seed. Detroit will host its former quarterback, Matthew Stafford, and the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs next Sunday night, and the Lions will spend the week hoping LaPorta is healthy enough to help them earn a second playoff victory since winning the 1957 league title. LaPorta had 86 catches, an NFL record by a rookie tight end that surpassed Keith Jackson’s 81 receptions in 1988 with the Philadelphia Eagles. The second-round pick from Iowa had 889 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. “You can’t replace that chemistry,” quarterback Jared Goff said. Goff was 23 of 32 for 320 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth quarter. Minnesota (7-10) was eliminated from playoff contention, losing four straight games and six of seven in a season stunted by Kirk Cousins’ torn Achilles tendon and the team’s inability to replace him. “I appreciate the way these guys battled all the way to the end, despite all the adversity and all the injuries,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. Nick Mullens, one of three quarterbacks to start for the Vikings over their final five games, lofted a 38-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson in the final minute of the third quarter and had a 42-yard pass to Jordan Addison for another score on his next possession to keep Minnesota within a touchdown. Mullens threw interceptions to Cam Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson late in the fourth, ending Minnesota’s comeback hopes. He finished 30 of 44 for 396 yards. As usual, Jefferson did his part for the Vikings. He had a career-high-matching 12 catches for a season-high 192 yards and a score. Jefferson, who missed seven games with a hamstring injury, joined Wes Chandler (1982) and Jim Benton (1945) as the only players in league history to have 1,000 yards receiving in 10 or fewer games. “It is so impressive what he has been able to accomplish in a year with so much adversity and with all the defensive looks he saw,” O’Connell said. “When he is available for a full game, he’s as dominant as anyone in the league.” CROWD FAVORITE A week after a much-disputed call negated a go-ahead, 2-point conversion against the Cowboys, fans at Ford Field roared each time offensive lineman Dan Skipper reported as eligible and cheered even louder when he caught a 4-yard pass. INJURY REPORT Vikings: OG Ed Ingram (shoulder) was not cleared to play after being listed as questionable, joining OT Brian O’Neill (ankle) and with CBs Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder) and Byron Murphy (knee) on the inactive list. Lions: LaPorta’s injury looms large. Return specialist Kalif Ray was also ruled out during the game with a knee injury. WR Jameson Williams (ankle) was inactive with an ankle injury. UP NEXT Vikings: Missed the playoffs for third time in four years, failing to earn consecutive postseason bids for the first time since the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Minnesota won 13 games and the NFC North last year in O’Connell’s debut season. “We need to go into the offseason and figure out what the difference was between Year 1 and Year 2,” he said. Lions: Host a playoff game at Ford Field for the first time — and in prime time — as they aim to win a postseason game for the first time since beating Dallas on Jan. 5, 1992. The Lions haven’t played the Rams since Oct. 24, 2021, when Stafford led Los Angeles to a 28-19 victory at SoFi Stadium that dropped Detroit to 0-7. The Rams won the Super Bowl that season, but since then, the Lions have been ascendant. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL The Associated Press contributed to this article

aac167ddc0934b13df6921fddabd2b6c

1crime

Jonathan Majors found guilty on two counts in assault trial

CNN — A jury found actor Jonathan Majors guilty on two of four counts in the New York criminal case stemming from a domestic dispute with his former girlfriend. Majors was convicted on Monday of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. He was acquitted on of another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment. The trial, which began on December 4, stems from a March 25th domestic dispute involving Majors - who plays a villain in the Marvel cinematic universe - and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Prosecutors alleged Majors “didn’t hesitate to use physical violence” against Jabbari in the March dispute when he grabbed Jabbari’s right hand, twisted her arm behind her back and then “struck a blow” to her head. Majors’ attorney reiterated his innocence during her closing argument, calling the accusations against him “fake” and alleging that Jabbari was the aggressor in the March dispute. This story is developing and will be updated.

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1crime

One-man crime spree: Man accused of vandalizing several Boston sites hurls expletives in court

A woman was arrested for allegedly punching, kicking and beating a dog with a glass bottle near Boston Common Tuesday night, police said. Jasmine Velasquez, 26, was arrested on animal cruelty charges after officers who happened to be in the area heard the dog crying and spotted her kicking it, according to the Boston Police Department. They rushed to the scene, across Tremont Street from the MBTA's Park Street Station, and got the dog away from its attacker as well as broken glass on the ground, police said. The woman was seen by witnesses hitting the dog multiple times, including hitting it with a glass bottle. The dog was placed with Boston Animal Care and Control. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. Velasquez was due to face charges of animal cruelty and assault and battery on a police officer in Boston Municipal Court on Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear if she had an attorney who could speak to the charges. Police didn't share details about her alleged assault of the police officer.

c2f3038439ea30d9b53ad283405a6891

6sports

Trent Brown: Malik Cunningham absolutely deserved more chances to play

When the Ravens signed Malik Cunningham off the Patriots practice squad, it prompted several New England players to share their thoughts on social media. No one was as outspoken as Trent Brown, though. “Go flourish where your talent is respected little bradda,” the offensive tackle wrote on his Instagram story with a picture of Cunningham. Cunningham, undrafted out of Louisville, figured to give the Patriots a spark on offense, while adding another option at the struggling quarterback position. The 25-year-old played in one game this season, but took just one snap. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. The quarterback/wide receiver did see time under center during the first preseason game and showcased some of his potential. He led the Patriots to a scoring drive and showed off how he could be a dual-threat QB for New England. But Cunningham never did get that opportunity under Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Instead, their issues at quarterback were on full display with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe throughout the season. Speaking to A to Z Sports’ Sophie Weller, Brown expressed his frustration with Cunningham’s inability to get into a game. “I mean, probably the most exciting drive we had in that stadium was against Houston in preseason games this season,” Brown told Weller. “Like, my guy couldn’t even get a red jersey.” Cunningham never sported the red quarterback jersey during practice despite taking reps at the position. Despite being active at times this season, he often found himself on the sideline, never seeing the gridiron. When asked if he thought Cunningham deserved more playing time, Brown gave a blunt answer. “Absolutely,” Brown told Weller. “Everybody on the team did. Everybody.” Cunningham didn’t play in Balitmore’s 23-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, but coach John Harbaugh told reporters after he was signed that he will “contribute every way he can.”

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2culture

Beyonc's Renaissance look sparks debate about colorism and white-fishing

A weekly newsletter for the chronically online and easily entertained. Honey dishes us savvy analysis on culture, entertainment and power to make you the group chat MVP. Subscribe today! Music icon Beyoncé has once again ignited conversation about race and identity with her latest look. On Nov. 25, global superstar Beyoncé Knowles hosted the world premiere of her film “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé,” a movie chronicling the journey of creating and performing the “Renaissance” Tour, in Los Angeles. On the chrome carpet, she wore a long silver Versace dress complete with platinum hair. While many social media users loved the metallic look now synonymous with the tour, others questioned if the singer was trying to look lighter than what she truly is. “Can we just keep it funky and acknowledge that Beyoncé looks light enough to be white in those photos? And we know sis understands lighting, so publishing photos looking like Khaleesi was…a choice,” X user Donovan Ramsey said in a Nov. 28 post. People quickly came to Knowles’ defense, including her own mother, Tina Knowles. “She does a film where the whole theme is silver with silver hair, a silver carpet, and suggested silver attire and you bozos decide that she’s trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin? How sad is it that some of her own people continue the stupid narrative with hate and jealousy,” Knowles said in a Nov. 28 post on Instagram. As her mother said, the commentary surrounding Beyoncé's premiere look is sparking conversations around “racism, sexism, [and] double standards.” Along with this, the differences between “white-fishing” versus “Black-fishing” and representation are being discussed online as well, according to a Nov. 29 Cosmopolitan UK article. This isn’t the first time in her decades-long career this issue of colorism has come up. In 2008, the company L’Oréal was accused of altering Beyoncé's complexion to look lighter for their hair care advertisement with her. In 2021, Tiffany and Co. in their own advertisement with Beyoncé were accused of lightening her skin as well, worrying fans. These conversations are part of “the longstanding pattern in the entertainment world of assessing women more for their appearances and what they are wearing than discussing the actual projects on which they have worked,” Cornell University professor Riché Richardson said. The public’s reproach From artist Katherine Harris’ perspective, she saw the critiques of Beyoncé “attempting to look more white” as delusional. “Beyoncé constantly uplifts women and especially Black women. Everyone has a right to their opinions, but it’s crazy to watch people try to find something wrong or something to criticize about almost everything in life. Most melanated individuals experience various appearances based on environment, lighting, and appearance enhancers such as makeup,” Harris said. After a white journalist from TMZ reached out to Beyoncé's hair stylist Neal Farinah for a statement on Beyonce’s skin tone, Knowles had enough. Posted along with a fan edit of Beyoncé to her song “Brown Skin Girl,” Tina Knowles wrote that the situation “made my blood boil, that this white woman felt so entitled to discuss her Blackness. What’s really most disappointing is that some Black people, yes you bozos that’s on social media. Lying and faking and acting like you’re so ignorant that you don’t understand that Black women have worn platinum hair since the Etta James days,” asking if the other Black celebrities who have worn platinum hair are trying to be white as well. Despite public denial, X user Shaniqua in a Dec. 2 post said that “one of the biggest lies to emerge in recent years is the ‘white women want to have Black features’ claim. In reality it’s the exact opposite. The biggest Black superstars want to be white. Beyonce is the perfect example.” White-fishing and colorism “White-fishing” is a term used to describe when people of color adopt physical or cultural attributes typically associated with whiteness. Critics of Beyoncé's look argue that it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black beauty and contributes to the erasure of Black identity. Critics jumped to the conclusion that Beyoncé is trying to promote Euro-centric features, author Elena Chabo said in her Nov. 29 Cosmopolitan UK article. According to author Jacqueline Arias in a 2019 article for Preen.PH, white-fishing and Black-fishing are both forms of erasure that promote Euro-centric features while ignoring minority communities. There is evidence of Beyoncé proudly claiming her Black culture throughout her career. For example, her 2016 song “Formation” and its following music video was seen as a “deeply personal look at the Black and queer bodies who have most often borne the brunt of our politics,” writer Syreeta McFadden said in a 2016 article for The Guardian. In her 2020 song “Black Parade,” released on Juneteenth weekend, Knowles celebrates her Blackness. She sings about getting peace and reparations for her people, letting her natural hair free and showing Black love to all. “During the past decade, as an artist, Beyoncé stood at the forefront of Black activism and showcased the platforms of such movements as Black Lives Matter, #SayHerName, and #TakeAKnee in her artistry, particularly in work such as ‘Formation’ and on the larger ‘Lemonade’ album. It’s not fair to attempt to troll her or to brand her as any kind of ‘sellout,’ Richardson said. Despite Beyoncé not having issues when it comes to skin whitening, that doesn’t mean that this and colorism aren’t prevalent issues in the music industry. Artists such as rapper Lil Kim have been accused of changing their Black features to meet Eurocentric standards. In a 2000 interview with Newsweek, Lil Kim said that “I have low self-esteem and I always have. Guys always cheated on me with women who were European-looking. You know, the long-hair type. Really beautiful women that left me thinking, ‘How can I compete with that?’ Being a regular Black girl wasn’t good enough.” A 2021 survey done by Black Lives in Music found that out of the Black women surveyed, 48% said they were far more likely to be forced into altering both their behavior and their appearance (44%). Another 2021 study focusing on the differences in disadvantages between light skin and dark skin Black women found that “darker skin was associated with disadvantage across socioeconomic, health, and psychosocial domains.” Research and data suggests that colorism is still an issue today. A study by Villanova in 2011 found that “light-skinned Black women served 11% less time in prison than dark-skinned Black women.” In pop culture, there are examples of colorism, a form of discrimination or prejudice that favors people with lighter skin over those with darker skin, still being prevalent. Experiencing colorism can lead to those to face mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. The phenomenon also has an impact on how successful a person can be in the entertainment industry. For example, singer Chris Brown allegedly said in 2021 that he allows “no darkies” in his club section, causing controversy. Shows such as “Grown-ish” in 2018 have been called out for a lack of dark-skinned characters, despite covering topics such as colorism on their show. Even when it comes to reality TV, the hit show “Real Housewives of Potomac” had a spotlight put on them earlier this year for how the dark-skinned cast members are unable to express themselves like their light-skinned peers. Looking back at colorism’s history, “for a long time, advertisements in the Black press for skin lighteners and hair straighteners proliferated and were very real. Similarly, depictions in the Black media as well as in the cultural mainstream, particularly in the years prior to the Black Power movement, tended to embrace more Eurocentric beauty standards…,” Richardson said. What’s next with this complex issue? On the flip side, musical artists have also been accused of “Black-fishing” in order to gain personal profit and approval. “Black-fishing” “refers to a non-Black person’s manipulation of Black aesthetics for the purpose of attaining social capital or monetary benefit,” according to a 2022 article from Ms Magazine. Some recent artists accused of “Black-fishing” include singer Jesy Nelson of girl group Little Mix, singer Rita Ora and rapper Iggy Azalea. Journalist Taylor Crumpton sees Black-fishing as a way for non-Black people to be able to profit off of the attention and movements around Black identity and culture. “It would be remiss not to connect the wave of ‘Black-fishing’ social media influencers to digital campaigns around #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, and #BlackGirlsRock. If whiteness is power and Blackness is currency, then white people will always feel an incentive to adorn Black elements and components in order to get rich,” Crumpton said. As Chabo said in her Nov. 29 Cosmopolitan UK article, accusing someone of “white-fishing” is a way to try to make “Black-fishing” seem invalid. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of colorism, and there are a number of organizations and initiatives that are working to combat it. For instance, organizations such as The Representation Project are working to raise awareness around these issues and increase the representation of girls and women of color in the media. They release films such as “Miss Representation” and “The Mask You Live In” to be able to tell the stories of those that are often ignored in society. “No matter who you are or where you live, intersectional gender stereotypes are hurting you and those you love. Through film, education, and activism, The Representation Project awakens consciousness, spotlights the cost of these stereotypes, and invites everyone to build a more equitable future,” the organization stated. It remains to be seen if the issues of Black-fishing, representation and colorism will be properly addressed in our society. “Conditions must improve and barriers must be removed for Black artists to be themselves, which means interventions and change must be enacted at all levels for artists in order to be free,” said Crumpton. “As Beyoncé says on ‘Church Girl,’ ‘I was born free.’ Work has to be done for all of us to be able to enjoy our freedom.”

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1crime

Chicopee man indicted by federal grand jury for allegedly robbing, assaulting confidential informant

SPRINGFIELD — Federal authorities say a Chicopee man has been charged with allegedly holding up a confidential informant at gunpoint for $1,400 in government money. Hector Laureano, 38, was charged by a grand jury with assault with a dangerous weapon on a person assisting an officer or employee of the United States. He is also charged with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and armed robbery, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

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3entertainment

Latest Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Boston Awards; Leads Favorite Local Theatre!

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6sports

Poitras and Frederic help undefeated Boston Bruins blank Chicago Blackhawks 3-0

Advertisement Poitras and Frederic help undefeated Boston Bruins blank Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 Share Copy Link Copy Closing out a four-game trip that included multiple time zones, Matthew Poitras and the Boston Bruins had more than enough to put away the Chicago Blackhawks.Poitras and Trent Frederic scored 56 seconds apart in the third period, and the Bruins beat the Blackhawks 3-0 on Tuesday night to match the best start in franchise history.Pavel Zacha also scored for Boston, which began the trip with wins at San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves in his 10th career shutout.“It's special. That's important for us moving forward,” Swayman said. “We knew that we had a challenge ahead of us, coming to the West Coast, time change, everything that you can find excuses for. But I think we used it to our advantage and it's a lot of momentum moving forward.”The Bruins moved to 6-0 in the franchise's centennial season. Boston also won its first six games of the 1937-38 season."Starting to see our team identity build because I think the LA game and this game tonight, you’re starting to see us become a heavy, grinding team, which I think is what we’re going to have to be,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.Petr Mrazek made 40 stops for Chicago in its third consecutive loss. The Blackhawks also lost to the Bruins on Oct. 11, falling 3-1 in Boston.The Bruins were in control for most of the night, but it was only good enough for a 1-0 lead before Poitras and Frederic helped put it away.The 19-year-old Poitras skated past veteran Blackhawks forward Corey Perry and beat Mrazek on the glove side at 4:06. The rookie forward scored his first two NHL goals in a 3-1 win at Anaheim on Sunday.“I saw a lot of open ice, so just skate as fast as I can and I was fortunate to pull away and find the back of the net,” Poitras said.Frederic made it 3-0 when he knocked home a slick pass from James van Riemsdyk. It was Frederic's second goal of the season.“I’m kind of at the point, tired, one year’s enough of we’re a hard-working team,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “I think we want to push for more this year. I think we start off with a good intention, but I find the other teams, not outwork us work ethic wise, but I want to say the hardness of the work, I mean like physical 1-on-1 battles.”Chicago appeared to jump in front on Connor Bedard's power-play goal with 6:45 left in the first period. Boston defenseman Charlie Coyle passed the puck right to Bedard, who beat Swayman with a rocket from the slot.But it was waved off after an offside challenge by Montgomery. The United Center crowd of 19,370 booed when the ruling was announced.Boston grabbed the lead on Zacha's first goal of the season 3:50 into the second. Zacha tipped home a shot by Kevin Shattenkirk from just inside the blue line.Boston dominated the period, outshooting Chicago 18-7. But Mrazek kept the Blackhawks in the game.OUCHBruins forward Jakub Lauko was clipped by Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson’s skate in the third, leading to a cut on his face.“Lauko’s good, thankfully," Montgomery said. "Scary with the skate, but he got it in the corner of the eye. It’s good. Nothing touched the eye. Stitched up. Not going to be looking good for a while.”WORTH NOTINGThe Blackhawks placed forward Taylor Hall (left shoulder) on injured reserve. The move was made retroactive to Saturday. Hall has no goals and two assists in five games after he was acquired in a June trade with Boston. ... Bruins forward Milan Lucic missed his second straight game. He had a shot go off his right foot during Saturday's 4-2 win at Los Angeles. ... Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev skated for almost 18 minutes after he missed the start of the season with a left wrist injury. “I thought he was excellent,” Richardson said. “I thought he was probably our best player tonight.”UP NEXTBruins: Face the Ducks on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game homestand.Blackhawks: At the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.

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0business

For the Billionaire Who Has Everything, Consider an Island in the San Francisco Bay

The words “private island” conjure up visions of mai tais, palm trees and solitary afternoons on a white sand beach. Red Rock Island is not that kind of island. It is a six-acre, dome-shaped outcropping that is tricky to reach and even trickier to explore. Its sparse plant life consists of scraggly shrubs and pines, along with thickets of poison oak. Its beaches are rocky, its cliffs steep. Forget mai tais. This island doesn’t have a bar, let alone trails, potable water, electricity or structures of any sort. You can take a private boat there, but it has no dock. You can fly a helicopter there, but it has no landing pad. And for $25 million, it can all be yours. “We believe this is like owning a Leonardo da Vinci or a Rothko,” said Chris Lim, a San Francisco real estate broker who represents the seller. “This is something someone would want in their portfolio like art or a sculpture.”

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6sports

Who should Patriots re-sign? Former QB weighs in (Podcast)

The Patriots have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. Aside from Bill Belichick and their quarterback situation, New England has a few pending free agents that it can choose to re-sign or let walk. On the latest episode of “Eye On Foxborough,” 98.5 The Sports Hub’s and former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak joined MassLive’s Karen Guregian and shared his thoughts on who he thinks New England should bring back in 2024. And while he shared a few names, there are two in particular that stood out. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. “(Kyle) Dugger. “Dugger’s like Patrick Chung,” Zolak told Guregian. “...I think Dugger’s morphed into Chung.” Aside from both of them wearing No. 23, Dugger and Chung played the safety position at a high level. Dugger has been a key piece to the Patriots defense — especially in 2023 when the defense was one of the few bright spots during a trying season. Another player Zolak referenced was Mike Onwenu who, like Dugger, was a consistent bright spot for New England. “No doubt,” Zolak said. “He’s built to play guard. I think it’s perfect for him at guard.” Onwenu was arguably the Patriots’ best lineman this year. In December, he told ESPN’s Mike Reiss there wasn’t much to report on in terms of talks of a contract extension. “From my agents, they said there haven’t really been much talks,” Onwenu told Reiss. “There has been communication, but there haven’t been any offers or any contracts that were sent. It’s kind of just a waiting game to see how it goes. “It’s really just time. That’s all you can do at this point (is wait),” he later added. “It’s going to be one of those things that’s in the moment — when it happens, it happens.” Onwenu played both guard and right tackle an particularly thrived at the latter, showing his versatility and skill at both positions, making impact plays. It remains to be seen who the Patriots will retain. It’s also unclear if David Andrews and Matthew Slater will return or retire. But the offseason is sure to be a busy one for New England for a slew of reasons.

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4politics

How the Iowa Caucuses Work

The Iowans who will brave frigid temperatures Monday for the first test of support for Republican presidential hopefuls will be caucusing — a process that’s distinct from other ballot-box affairs. Unlike in other elections, Iowa’s Democratic and Republican parties, not the state’s government, organize and run the caucuses. And members of the two parties will conduct business a little differently. What happens during a caucus? Once participating Republican voters arrive at the caucus precinct, they must check in with precinct workers, who will verify that they are eligible to participate. (Only registered Republicans may participate in G.O.P. caucuses, but party rules allow unregistered voters, Democrats and independents to register or switch their party affiliation at the caucus site.)

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2culture

Crisis in the Red Sea, and Epstein Files Unsealed

The New York Times Audio app is home to journalism and storytelling, and provides news, depth and serendipity. If you haven’t already, download it here — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter. The Headlines brings you the biggest stories of the day from the Times journalists who are covering them, all in about five minutes.

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2culture

Wolverines receives Endangered Species Act protection due to climate change

As New England transitions into late fall and gears up for winter's onset, we are watching the days shorten up and the sun appears lower in the sky. This change in sun angle significantly impacts people living in northern altitude’s ability to produce vitamin D. A combination of Boston's latitude and the tilt of the northern hemisphere on Earth’s axis away from the sun during the winter makes it more difficult to soak up the sun. Everywhere south of the 37th parallel can still get enough sun in the winter to produce vitamin D. But Boston's latitude is at 42 degrees N, well north of the 37th parallel. If you are looking at the sky, the sun only rises 25 degrees above the horizon in December. In contrast, the sun would be at a 70-degree angle from the horizon in the summer. Consequently, from November to February, the sunlight is not direct enough to facilitate the absorption of vitamin D. Vitamin D is vital for various bodily processes, with two significant reasons to maintain adequate levels during winter immune system support and the influence on brain function related to mental health. Notably, individuals experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or seasonal depression often exhibit low levels of vitamin D. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. To address this deficiency during winter, individuals in regions with limited sunlight can consider alternative sources of vitamin D, such as dietary supplements or vitamin D-rich foods and considering vitamin D supplements if recommended by health care professionals can contribute to maintaining optimal vitamin D levels.

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0business

Westfield Gas & Electric building added to Saturdays Downtown WinterWalk

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Gas & Electric building, at the corner of Arnold and Elm streets, has been added as a display space to Saturday’s Downtown WinterWalk, according to ArtWorks Westfield President Bill Westerlind. There will be three artists displaying their work in the lobby. On Thursday, Westerlind confirmed a final headcount of 51 artists at the event, which combines a downtown art walk with a European-style winter market. Twelve artists will be at the Olver Transit Pavilion, 10 Arnold St., as part of ArtWorks’ “Art in Unusual Places” series. All artists’ displays will be inside the bus station building. Twenty artists will be set up along School Street, which will be closed off to traffic during the event. Westerlind said it will be interesting to see the community reaction to the street being pedestrianized. Some business owners on the street have recommended making it a permanent pedestrian mall.

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4politics

Antihero Worship

The Emmy Awards are on Monday, after being postponed four months because of Hollywood’s labor disputes. I’m tuning in to see the actors and creators of “The White Lotus” and “Succession” walk the red carpet in fancy dress, after which they will, with any luck, make some witty or inspiring speeches when they win their awards. These are two shows that I loved obsessively while they were on, and mourned ridiculously when they were over. One of the most common criticisms I’ve heard from those who can’t stomach these shows is that they’re devoid of likable characters. The navel-gazing vacationers of “The White Lotus,” the scheming Roy family — these people are self-centered, they’re cruel, they’re hardly the type of people you’d choose to spend time with in real life, the complaint goes. Yet if you’re looking for friends, the other nominated shows offer few options. In fact, unless you’re looking to befriend complicated, dangerous men, you’re out of luck. We’ve got “Barry,” (a hit man trying to exit his sordid metier); “Dahmer,” (a biopic on the serial killer); “The Old Man,” (a former C.I.A. operative with a dirty past); “Better Call Saul” (a crooked lawyer connected to a drug cartel); “Shrinking” (an ethically diminished therapist); and “Ted Lasso” (a criminally nice soccer coach). OK, maybe the last one isn’t so bad, but you get the idea. Ethically compromised, if not psychopathic, company abounds.

2552db9eb73e997f289fa77cc1416c25

1crime

3 Nahant residents found dead from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning

Local News 3 Nahant residents found dead from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning Authorities found the victims in a home on Cottage Street. Foul play is not suspected. Three family members, all adults, were found dead in Nahant in an apparent case of carbon monoxide poisoning. Nahant police and fire officials said that the bodies of the family members were found Monday evening in a home on Cottage Street. Police officers and firefighters were dispatched to the residence to conduct a wellbeing check, officials said. The scene was described as being “very active” Monday evening in a statement. Firefighters found elevated levels of carbon monoxide inside the home, officials said. Foul play is not suspected, and there is no danger to the community. The victims’ identities were not released as of Tuesday morning. Advertisement: “Great people. The grandmother that lived there was our French teacher. That’s how long we have known those people,” John Moleti, a neighbor, told NBC10 Boston.

5b3cd5d33c7ccaf259db6230e303ea16

1crime

Jonathan Majors Case Begins With a Debate: Was He an Abuser or a Victim?

WESTFIELD — After a dispatcher with the Regional Public Safety Communication Center lost her sister and home in a devastating fire in Springfield on Oct. 16, the officers of the Westfield Police Department decided to donate over $6,800 they raised during an annual fundraiser to her family to help in their recovery. “This will help a lot. I really appreciate it. It’s overwhelming,” said Jailyne Rivera just before being handed a donation of $6,806 that was raised by the department’s officers during their annual No-Shave November fundraising campaign.

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6sports

Bruins vs. Devils: Live stream, how to watch NHL game

The Bruins return home after four games on the road and will try to build some momentum before the All-Star break early in February. The Devils won the teams’ first meeting 2-1 in overtime on Dec. 13, while the Bruins answered with a 5-2 win on Dec. 30. This is their final meeting in the regular season. The game is on NESN for subscribers. Fans can also stream Bruins games for free by signing up for a free trial of fuboTV. LIVE STREAM: Sign up here to watch Bruins games on NESN How can I watch on TV? — The game will start at 1 p.m. EST from TD Garden. The game will air on TV via NESN in New England. Live stream: fuboTV | NESN Live | Sling | DirecTV — If you get NESN through your TV provider, you can use your cable login credentials to watch the game via streaming via NESN Live and the NESN App. Fans who do not have cable can watch the game via fuboTV, which has a free trial. Outside of New England, fans looking to watch this NHL game can also do so with ESPN+. ESPN+ plans are $10.99 a month or $12.99 a month if you bundle with Hulu and Disney+. Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats *New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.* Gear: Shop at Fanatics for jerseys, hats, polos, sneakers, shirts and more BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Sports Betting Promos: Fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses. MORE COVERAGE VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS New Jersey Devils (22-15-3, fifth in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Boston Bruins (25-8-9, first in the Atlantic Division) Boston; Monday, 1 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins host the New Jersey Devils after Brad Marchand’s two-goal game against the St. Louis Blues in the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime win. Boston has a 25-8-9 record overall and a 12-3-3 record on its home ice. The Bruins have given up 113 goals while scoring 139 for a +26 scoring differential. New Jersey has gone 13-6-1 on the road and 22-15-3 overall. The Devils have an 11-2-2 record in games decided by one goal. Monday’s game is the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Bruins won 5-2 in the previous matchup. Marchand led the Bruins with two goals. TOP PERFORMERS: Marchand has 19 goals and 20 assists for the Bruins. David Pastrnak has five goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games. Jesper Bratt has 16 goals and 31 assists for the Devils. Dawson Mercer has scored six goals with three assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 6-1-3, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.9 assists, 4.7 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game. Devils: 6-3-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game. INJURIES: Bruins: Linus Ullmark: day to day (lower body), Brandon Carlo: out (upper body), Milan Lucic: out (personal), Derek Forbort: out (undisclosed), Matthew Poitras: day to day (shoulder). Devils: Ondrej Palat: day to day (lower body), Dougie Hamilton: out (pectoral muscle), Timo Meier: out (mid-body), Jonas Siegenthaler: out (foot), Jack Hughes: out (upper body), Tomas Nosek: out (upper body), Nolan Foote: out (upper body).

a5d7b0c1f867509fe04fc4eb7ecfa4fd

0business

U.S. Fines Southwest Airlines $140 Million for Holiday Meltdown

The Transportation Department on Monday announced a $140 million fine against Southwest Airlines over a meltdown last winter that disrupted travel for about two million people during the holiday season. Of the $140 million, Southwest Airlines will pay $35 million to the federal government. For the remaining amount, the department is giving the airline credit for providing frequent-flier points as an apology to customers affected by the problems and for agreeing to give out tens of millions of dollars in vouchers to those affected by future delays and cancellations. The fine is roughly 30 times what had previously been the department’s largest penalty against an airline for consumer protection violations, a $4.5 million settlement with Air Canada in 2021 over customer refunds. “Today’s action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: If airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “Taking care of passengers is not just the right thing to do — it’s required, and this penalty should put all airlines on notice to take every step possible to ensure that a meltdown like this never happens again.”

440d4fd2dc50989836d268f932d209ae

6sports

Moving on from Belichick the right call, but still bittersweet

The deed is done. The divorce between the Patriots and Bill Belichick is now a reality. Even though this news doesn’t come as a surprise given it’s been a hot topic for months, with one report suggesting the decision was made after the early November loss in Germany, it still seems a bit surreal. And sadly bittersweet. Letting go of a coach who was part of six championships, and largely considered the greatest coach of all time, closes a significant chapter in Patriots lore. And while it falls into the category of making a decision that seems best for the franchise, it also tugs at the heart strings. There’s also the element of being careful what you wish for. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. What if the Patriots don’t turn it around, and Belichick wins a Super Bowl someplace else? What if there’s a deja vu on par with what happened with Tom Brady his first year outside of Foxborough? No doubt team owner Robert Kraft weighed all of those factors, but in the end, with a 4-13 team that’s finished out of the playoffs three of the last four seasons, a team that falls woefully short on the talent meter, a change needed to be made. Unlike Brady however, Belichick isn’t leaving at or near the top of this game, especially when it comes to picking the groceries. Over the course of the last five years, and a bit beyond, Belichick the G.M. has gotten failing grades. He hasn’t helped Belichick the coach do his job. Instead, he’s left himself, the coaching staff, not to mention his quarterback, trying to do more with less. That worked with Brady for the most part, but it doesn’t with quarterbacks who aren’t superstars and can’t elevate the team. At 71, Belichick can still coach. He’s still able to get players to play and he’s still capable of devising elaborate schemes that foil the game’s top quarterbacks. Ultimately, he lost his fastball when it came to assembling a winning team. Poor drafts have been a killer, along with failures in free agency. Belichick’s philosophy on what wins in the NFL just isn’t up with the times. As a defensive coach, he still believes that’s the side of the ball that wins. Why else would he use the first three draft picks in the 2023 draft on defensive players, while ignoring glaring needs on the offensive side of the ball? The game has evolved. It’s an offense driven league now, and Belichick’s failure as a G.M. to stock that side of the ball with elite talent has led to his undoing and ultimate departure. But that shouldn’t undermine what Belichick has meant to the organization over time. Given how poorly Belichick has done without Brady, that’s swayed some to believe the half-dozen championships attained were due to having the greatest quarterback of all time in the building. That’s a simplistic, and uninformed view. And it’s flat out wrong. This was a great marriage of head coach and quarterback. It was Belichick who was the mastermind of the defense that stalled the Greatest Show on Turf en route to the first Super Bowl win over the St. Louis Rams. He also devised the schemes to take down the Rams offensive juggernaut 17 years later in Super Bowl LIII. Together, Brady and Belichick, along with the perfect complement of players Belichick assembled for each of those championship teams, made it happen. It’s a disservice to Belichick to think all of those Lombardi trophies were won without his imprint. 48 1 / 48 Bill Belichick through the years John Beattie So his departure should be met with appreciation for his part in creating a dynasty. There’s also a tinge of sadness given how it ended. Losing to the Jets on the final week in a snowstorm had to be embarrassing for Belichick, who had beaten them 15 straight times. He just walked off the field, cloaked by a ski mask covering his face. There’s no question his legacy has taken a bit of a hit having failed to achieve much success without Brady, but Belichick is still revered as a defensive genius. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce made sure to reach out to Belichick after the Chiefs Week 15 win over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. “I just mentioned how much I respect him and how much it’s always the biggest challenge I go up against in the National Football League is going up against one of his defenses,” Kelce said on the “New Heights” podcast. “I just wanted to make sure he heard that from my mouth, man,” he added, “because it’s been a pleasure going up against him all these years.” Since Brady left, Belichick’s been the face of the franchise. Belichick’s mug was the one that was most often been used to capture the essence of the team. With Brady gone, and no megastars on the roster, Belichick gave the Patriots its remaining cachet, and outside of Kraft, he was the last remnant of all of the team’s championships. He was the one remaining on-field link to the team’s entire dynastic run and two decades of dominance. And now, he’s left the building after 24 years. While it was time, it’s still tough to cut that cord. It’s tough to break with the team’s last vestige of greatness. A new chapter awaits. NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses.

d2a64f51c142682a95e4eea3676ffe22

6sports

Robert Kraft: Patriots owners only get involved in personnel on one condition

FOXBOROUGH — With Bill Belichick gone and no clear heir to his personnel throne in New England, it remains murky who will have final say on the roster as the offseason gets rolling. At Jerod Mayo’s introductory press conference, Robert Kraft said it’d be collaborative approach for now, but sought to debunk the idea that ownership will be more involved. He said his family will continue to delegate to the football operations staff as they have since purchasing the team in 1994. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. “It will be the same input that we’ve had for the last three decades: We try to hire the best people we can find and let them do their job and hold them accountable,” Kraft said. “If you get involved and tell them what to do or try to influence them, you can’t hold them responsible and have them accountable. It’ll be within the people’s discretion who are the decision makers to do it, and if we’ve hired the wrong people, then we’ll have to make a change. But we’re going to try to enjoy it as fans.” Kraft said there’s only one situation where ownership will get involved in football ops, and that’s when it comes off-the-field issues. “The only area that we have really weighed in is when it comes to bringing in people that we might think are not the right character to be here and they have done things in their past,” Kraft said. “That’s the only time we’ve really weighed in.”

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0business

Workers on a Philippines Coconut Farm: Born Poor, Staying Poor

At 64, Mr. Limbaro’s life is dominated by two pursuits — playing basketball on the concrete courts that form the center of every village, and running a copra cooperative that provides local farmers a way to pool their efforts. Farmers typically harvest coconuts from their own small holdings, removing the husks and selling much of the shell-encased fruit within to agents for processing plants that make juice. They peddle the rest of their crop to village drying works that roast the meat over open coals, yielding a product that is sold to processing plants that crush it into oil. The plants that dry the fruit, which burn coconut husks as a source of power, tend to be owned by local women like Mercita Rementizo, 65, who also operates a local grocery kiosk. She earns additional money as a music teacher, and as a drummer in a family band that plays tango, jazz and rock classics at village parties. “I have a lot of side hustles,” she said. “Everyone here does.” Mr. Limbaro said he relied entirely on women to fill out the ranks of the cooperative’s governing board. “Women are more productive than men,” he said matter-of-factly. “The women are not gambling, not drinking, not womanizing. I trust women the most.”

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6sports

Joe Mazzulla reveals compelling Celtics goal-setting mindset

With the NBA’s in-season tournament ongoing, Celtics like Jaylen Brown mentioned it was, at minimum, a nice change-of-pace to the routine of the regular season. The NBA goes on for 82 games, so there are certainly the dog days of the season where the schedule feels endless. The C’s have taken care of business for the most part, putting together an East-best 16-5 record. There are areas they need to clean up, but they’re still one of the best teams in the league. That’s an encouraging sign considering the Celtics are still folding in new pieces like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Despite the potential doldrums of the season, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla talked about now being the perfect time to set some goals compared to before the season. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. “When you set goals, you set them when you’re healthy, when you’re not sore, when you haven’t played yet, when there’s no stats, and when you haven’t like had to go through three days,” Mazzulla said. “Goal-setting should happen right now, when like you’re tired, you’re a little sore, when maybe you’re playing well or you’re not playing well.” Mazzulla brings up a good point in that the preseason is all about hope and expectations. The Celtics were set to contend for a title again, and there haven’t been many blips to alter those expectations. But there have been some changes during the season. There’s also fighting back against the routine to still achieve those goals. Mazzulla has also spoken about the process to becoming a winning team, where the Celtics are still trying to build an identity with their new core. For example, the C’s cared about the in-season tournament, but Mazzulla also spoke at length about what it takes to become a winning team. So it’s no surprise the second-year coach talked about reaching their goals during the hard times, not necessarily when optimism at its highest before the season. “That’s like the mental toughness aspect of like can we remember what our goals are and do them at times when we don’t really feel like doing them,” Mazzulla said. “And that’s the challenge, I think, for everybody.”

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6sports

Jayson Tatum has frustrated reaction to multiple flagrant fouls

LOS ANGELES — While Jayson Tatum was healthy enough to play through a sprained ankle, there was a worrisome moment midway through the second quarter Saturday against the Clippers. Tatum rose up and drilled a 3-pointer, but Kobe Brown encroached on his landing space as Tatum tweaked that left ankle. Tatum was down on the ground briefly before walking back to the Celtics bench. The referees reviewed the play to upgrade it to a flagrant-1 foul on Brown as Tatum completed the four-point play despite some pain. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. But then it happened again in the third quarter when Ivica Zubac was called for a flagrant because he also ended up in Tatum’s landing space. Naturally, the Celtics star was frustrated by it all. For good measure, Tatum was hit on another 3-pointer to draw three free throws, though luckily that didn’t involve his landing space. “This is some (expletive),” Tatum said of his reaction. “But it was taped up well and it was just a small tweak, so I was able to keep playing and I felt fine after that.” Tatum finished with 30 points in his return as he also knocked in 5-of-10 of his 3-pointers. The ankle didn’t seem to bother him too much as he impressed in the Celtics’ blowout 145-108 win. Fortunately for the Celtics, it appears Tatum didn’t further injure that left ankle. He missed the blowout win over the Kings due to the injury as it was the first game he sat this season. Considering the Celtics have a marquee showdown against the Lakers coming up, it’ll also be difficult to keep Tatum from playing in front of that nationally-televised Christmas Day crowd. “Ankle was swollen over the last couple days,” Tatum said. “But a lot of ice, a lot of treatment. Swelling went down. Started feeling a lot better, not quite as good as the right one. But felt well enough to go out there and play. I’ve been out for three days, and I don’t like missing games. So I was excited to get back out there with the team and play today.”

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4politics

Doormat Treatment: Congestion Pricing Plan Riles New Jersey Leaders

The mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., called New York’s congestion pricing plan “doormat treatment.” A New Jersey congressman said pricing details disclosed for the first time late Wednesday showed that New York was “sticking it to Jersey families.” Gov. Philip D. Murphy insisted that “as a conceptual matter,” he supports congestion pricing, but not this version of the plan, and not in his backyard. “Everyone in the region deserves access to more reliable mass transit,” Mr. Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement. “But placing an unjustified financial burden on New Jersey commuters is wrong.” New York’s proposal to create new tolls to discourage people from driving into Manhattan has been embraced by environmentalists as a way to induce motorists to use mass transit, reduce congestion on the city’s most traffic-choked roads and curb climate-warming vehicle emissions. Once the plan is implemented, motorists who drive into Midtown and Lower Manhattan — whether they are coming from New Jersey, Staten Island, Westchester or anywhere else — will pay significantly more in tolls.

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3entertainment

Renaissance: A Film by Beyonc Review: Peak Performance

This movie wants to convey a great deal about the woman who made it. Predominately, it’s that despite the metallic sheen Beyoncé’s cultivated she — to quote a glitchy Captcha screen that gets projected at every show — “is not a robot.” The film is an effective humanizing of a naturally withholding star. The last time Beyoncé took a stab at this kind of auto-documentary was 10 years ago with “Life Is but a Dream.” That movie was an introvert’s idea of extroversion. “Renaissance” is less cloistered. It widens the guardrails from alleyway to thoroughfare. It’s busy; and, in its business, casually revealing. The woman who’s made it has found a rich balance between the taciturn and TMI. We can see freckles. She includes flubs and flaws. We witness a parent in an assortment of resonant parenting moods. Beyoncé turns 42 in the film. It’s Diana Ross who graces a Los Angeles show for a round of “Happy Birthday.” And the older Beyoncé gets, the more her ambition expands, as a friend of mine puts it, toward the archival. (Her backup singers are styled to evoke En Vogue. The tour’s vibe is disco-shimmer. Some of the dancers are vogue specialists.) She’s bringing the past with her into the present, communing with both an audience and her ancestors, accepting stewardship as a rite of longevity. At her “Homecoming” show at Coachella, in 2019, she came out as a bandleader. The resulting show was an achievement of artistic self-rearrangement, of what happens when your hits meet your people’s musical history. “Renaissance” does something like that but internationally. It furnishes a lot to go “aww” over, too — a trip to her girlhood home; the sight of her children parroting their mother’s choreography backstage, in what looked like their PJs; a peek at a five-way Destiny’s Child reunion; the stretch devoted to maternity, or Uncle Johnny, a late family friend and gay man whose love of dance music led to “Renaissance,” and who now is immortalized in the ferocious read Beyoncé does at the end of that album’s “Heated.” What moved me, though, is her sense of awe that any tour gets pulled off at all; her wonder at the alignment of artistries and skills solely in the name of her art, wonder at the labor of so many woman technicians. Watching her aim for perfection in collaborative environments and be second-guessed (in two differently pointed moments by Blue Ivy Carter, her eldest child), brought to mind Barbra Streisand’s ruminating in her new memoir about her own pursuit of it, why as a performer it’s necessary and how vexing doubt can feel. These two also share a passion for the importance of lighting. And watching Beyoncé figure out how things should be lit turned a lightbulb on for me: She points out that all of that luminance is often being aimed at her, like into her eyes. It has to be right.

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4politics

The Senate Dress Code Gets a Casual Overhaul

In the tradition-bound halls of the Senate, customs die hard and rules can be next to impossible to change. But on Monday, with a potential government shutdown days away, a newly begun impeachment inquiry and lawmakers preparing for a visit this week from the president of Ukraine, a major change had the Capitol abuzz. For the first time in centuries, lawmakers are no longer expected to suit up to conduct business on the Senate floor. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, has established a new dress code — or rather, done away with the old one — allowing members to take a more business-casual approach to their workwear. The change, reported earlier by Axios, involved directing the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms — whose job, aside from directing security in the chamber, also entails enforcing outfit standards for all who enter it — that the previous policy that all senators must be clad in business attire when on the floor is no longer to be enforced.

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4politics

Harris to Stand In for Biden at U.N. Climate Conference

Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the annual United Nations climate summit in Dubai on Friday and Saturday, standing in for President Biden, who will skip the event for the first time since taking office. A spokeswoman for Ms. Harris said in a statement on Wednesday that while at the summit, known as COP28, the vice president would “underscore the Biden-Harris administration’s success in delivering on the most ambitious climate agenda in history, both at home and abroad.” But her presence is unlikely to satisfy some climate activists, who have said that Mr. Biden’s decision to skip the summit — which is being attended by nearly 200 leaders from around the world — will undermine international efforts to confront the planet’s changing climate. White House officials have said Mr. Biden is consumed with other global issues, including the war between Israel and Hamas and securing funding for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, which has become the subject of an intense congressional clash in recent days.