@annarubenstein.bsky.social

Healey signs bill reforming marijuana business governance, sales in Mass. Gov. Maura Healey will now appoint all members of a reformed Cannabis Control Commission. She signed a bill Sunday that included several changes to Massachusetts' marijuana industry.

Long-awaited changes to Mass. Pot regulations - including @massgovernor.bsky.social takes over appointing the state oversight board, after a slew of problems @wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Nation's top immigration judge hears a rush of Somali cases at Chelmsford court Amid accusations that the Trump administration is fast-tracking the deportation of Somali immigrants, the country's top immigration judge Teresa Riley on Friday took up a docket of nearly two dozen ca...

A rush of Somali cases at Chelmsford federal immigration court, as lawyers express concern about right to fair process @wbur.org @simonfrios.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Todd Lyons to step down as ICE chief in Washington, D.C. The South Boston native who rose from the chief of immigration enforcement in ICE's Boston office to the top of the agency under President Trump is stepping down to join the private sector.

Boston's Todd Lyons is stepping down as acting U.S. ICE chief amid a controversial immigration enforcement crackdown under Trump @wbur.org @simonfrios.bsky.social @debbecker10.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

GOP candidate for lieutenant governor recently owed thousands in unpaid taxes, records show Anne Brensley, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, and her husband owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes to the federal government as of March, according to public records. She...

Anne Brensley, a GOP candidate for Mass. Lt. Gov., owed tens of thousands of $ in federal taxes and faces two open IRS liens. After @wbur.org's @bychrisvan.bsky.social called, she says she paid off a $33k IRS bill. GOP Gov. contender Mike Minogue has endorsed Brensley
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Republican Mike Minogue brings big money, outsider status and business cred in run for Mass. governor The wealthy former biotech executive identifies as a "born again" Catholic who would bring CEO-style management to the state as a “new kind of governor.”

A good listen here on Mike Minogue, one of the Republicans looking to take on @massgovernor.bsky.social - he served in the military, made a fortune in biotech and calls himself a "born again" Catholic @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Republican Mike Minogue brings big money, outsider status and business cred in run for Mass. governor The wealthy former biotech executive identifies as a "born again" Catholic who would bring CEO-style management to the state as a “new kind of governor.”

Mike Minogue, a wealthy former biotech CEO, identifies as a "born again" Catholic who would bring CEO-style management to the state as a “new kind of governor.” He also says he’s “pro life.” More in my profile of the GOP candidate for governor. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Republican Mike Minogue brings big money, outsider status and business cred in run for Mass. governor The wealthy former biotech executive identifies as a "born again" Catholic who would bring CEO-style management to the state as a “new kind of governor.”

There’s a lot you may not know about Mike Minogue - a wealthy Republican running for Mass. Gov: He made a fortune selling a biotech co; says rent control would make Boston a ‘slum’ and is a “born again” Catholic/pro-life @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Hungary's Viktor Orbán concedes defeat, ending 16 years in power Hungarian voters turned out in the greatest numbers since the 1990s to turn away from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's right-wing populist Fidesz party, putting an end to Orbán's 16 years in power.

Orban concedes defeat www.wbur.org/npr/nx-s1-57...

‘It’s going to be chaos’: On rural Navajo Nation, tribal leaders slam voter-ID bill The SAVE America Act would require people to bring ID to the polls and to prove their citizenship in person when registering to vote. Many Navajo Nation elders don’t have the required documents to pro...

‘It’s just very ironic that we’ve been here for thousands of years that we’re being questioned if we are really citizens’
www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

People in Lawrence want to know: how many private conversations were recorded in City Hall, over what period of time, and who is responsible.

Police officer charged with manslaughter in Boston taps Karen Read defense lawyer @wbur.org @evezuckoff.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

On Monday, state police executed a search warrant in Mayor Brian DePeña's office, seizing equipment that was allegedly used to record audio. The warrant was issued by the Attorney General's office, said Lawrence City Attorney Timothy Houten.

Mass. AG's office investigating Lawrence mayor over alleged wiretapping, city lawyer says Lawrence City Attorney Timothy Houten said Wednesday the warrant was signed by a judge in Suffolk County, rather than Essex County, where Lawrence is located. The warrant was issued by the Attorney Ge...

Lawrence mayor is under investigation by @massago.bsky.social over alleged wiretapping at City Hall @wbur.org @simonfrios.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Mass. is increasingly unaffordable. But not for the GOP hopefuls for governor All three Republican gubernatorial candidates have blasted Gov. Maura Healey over the cost of living in Massachusetts. Public records show each owns at least one multi-million-dollar home and addition...

HIGH-END HOUSING: For the three Republicans running for Massachusetts governor this year, owning multiple homes in Boston’s tony suburbs, on beachfronts or near ski slopes, is almost a prerequisite for candidacy. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Mass. is increasingly unaffordable. But not for the GOP hopefuls for governor All three Republican gubernatorial candidates have blasted Gov. Maura Healey over the cost of living in Massachusetts. Public records show each owns at least one multi-million-dollar home and addition...

It’s hard to afford a home in Mass. - Not so for the GOP candidates for governor. They own multiple properties worth millions, from Boston suburbs to Osterville, Kennebunk and Big Sky @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

The President of the United States is threatening to commit war crimes and wipe out a "whole civilization" — all because he started a disastrous war of his own making and had no plan and no strategy for how to end it.

This is abhorrent, and the American people do not support this.

Mass. Congressional Democrats call for Trump's removal over threat to annihilate Iran Rep. Ayanna Pressley called the president's social media post “a horrifying threat of genocidal war crimes."

Mass. delegation calls for Trump's removal over Iran threats @wbur.org www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

MBTA says it will cost $80 for a commuter rail ticket to the World Cup Commuter rail tickets for the first five World Cup matches go on sale Wednesday. The roundtrip tickets are priced at $50 more than they were for the friendly match in late March.

Not only does a World Cup ticket cost a small fortune (if you can get one) the @mbta-cr.bsky.social is jacking up train fare to Gillette stadium for the games: $80 round trip @wbur.org @andreaperdomoh.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Another sign the long winter is over: The Red Sox are back at Fenway Park A lot happens in Boston every day. To help you keep up, WBUR, Boston's NPR News station, pulled these stories together just for you.

In Fenway opener, hope springs eternal for diehard Sox fans - a great listen here that’ll make your day from @wbur.org
Rob Lane (re-posting audio; prior post was a game preview)
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

More than 7,000 ICE arrests in Massachusetts so far under Trump Under Trump arrests have swept up people from 100 countries, with the highest numbers coming from Brazil and Guatemala. They took place at local courthouses, police departments, the federal courthouse...

More than 7,000 ICE arrests in Mass. under Trump @wbur.org @simonfrios.bsky.social www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Mass. Senate wants to put more money toward legal defense fund for immigrants The program was created over the summer as part of the state budget and has helped hundreds of immigrants facing deportation retain lawyers at no cost. Senate President Karen Spilka said she wants to ...

Mass. lawmakers look to add $1 mil. to a state fund to provide immigration lawyers for people facing deportation @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/04...

Federal judge finds Trump violated free speech by ordering NPR defunded A U.S. District Court judge found that President Trump's executive ordering the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.

Federal judge says Trump violated free speech by ordering the defunding of NPR, PBS
www.npr.org/2026/03/31/n...

Boston faces $48 million budget gap The gap, driven in part by snow removal, overtime and soaring health care costs, represents about 1% of the city's annual budget, according to the city's chief financial officer.

Boston is facing a $48 million budget gap - thanks to snowstorms (snow removal), overtime and health care costs @wbur.org @evezuckoff.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Immigrants in Mass. can get free legal help. Beacon Hill is debating the program's future The program, known as the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative, provides pro bono legal assistance to low-income immigrants facing removal.

Mass. has a $5 million program to help low-income immigrants get free legal help @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Boston joins third national 'No Kings' protest Thousands of people are expected to crowd downtown Boston for the third 'No Kings' rally, according to organizers, joining what they expect will be millions of demonstrators fanning out across the cou...

Thousands join ‘No Kings’ protest in Boston @wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Dorchester community honors Haitian man who died in ICE custody The family of Emmanual Cleeford Damas say an untreated toothache while in an immigration detention facility in Arizona quickly spiraled to serious medical conditions.

Dorchester community mourns a Haitian man who died in ICE custody - of a toothache gone untreated
@wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Ubers, club dues and restaurants: How Boston city councilors spend campaign donations City councilors tend to spend most of their campaign funds on things donors expect: consultants, advertising, office costs. They also spend thousands of dollars getting around town, hobnobbing at dinn...

High-end clubs, restaurants and Ubers - and Lots of coffee. How Boston city councilors spend campaign funds @wbur.org @evezuckoff.bsky.social www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Dark money pours into Massachusetts politics WBUR found a rise of dark money groups trying to sway local elections and influence policy. The nonprofits can raise and spend unlimited money from undisclosed donors. Watchdogs warn about their growi...

More on dark money in Mass. Politics, and the group One Commonwealth
@wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...

Venezuelan Healey aide back at work amid visa processing fight “ I'm getting emails and calls from doctors, PhDs, people that are highly educated — all they want to be is legal,” said immigration lawyer Anthony Drago Jr.

Aide to @massgovernor.bsky.social in visa battle is back at work @wbur.org @simonfrios.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2026/03...