Downtown Boston's half-baked pot boom goes bust | As Senate race heats up, Mass. Dems freak over alleged MAGA infiltration of party caucuses | Shrunken Herald bad for local news | Housing solutions | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Downtown Boston's half-baked pot boom goes bust | As Senate race heats up, Mass. Dems freak over alleged MAGA infiltration of party caucuses | Shrunken Herald bad for local news | Housing solutions | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli

Boston City Council kills city, BPS audit push amid $100M budget gap: ‘Lack of oversight’

The Boston City Council defeated two orders calling for outside audits of city and school department spending driven by revelations that the Wu admin is scrambling to close a $100M budget gap.

Too late for an April Fool's joke, so betting it is.

Boston lawyers offered seven-figure pay by desperate ICE contractor | The Globe and the myth of Wu's new Boston | Despite new Healey initiative, Mass. still falls short on career and tech ed | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Hub lawyers offered seven-figure pay by desperate ICE contractor | The Globe and the myth of Wu's new Boston | Despite new Healey initiative, Mass. still falls short on career and tech ed | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli #bospoli #ICE

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" digs into criticism of Iran war coverage, CNN, Times try to look hip with help from social media creators, and Bryon Noem draws yawns | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" digs into criticism of Iran war coverage, CNN, Times try to look hip with help from social media creators, and Bryon Noem draws yawns | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #mapoli #bospoli #localnews @dankennedy.net #media

Thanks

New in Contrarian Boston: On "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney," we look at Jeff Bezos foisting Amazon-style sweatshop metrics onto the beleaguered Washington Post and a small bright spot | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: On "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney," we look at Jeff Bezos foisting Amazon-style sweatshop metrics onto the beleaguered Washington Post and a small bright spot | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli #bospoli #Bezos #Trump #newsmedia

Didn't realize that - let's talk.

Wellesley battles to save precious parking lot from housing development | Tons of Mass. school superintendents, little to show for it | Deadline and its gallows humor origin | Mass. exodus | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Wellesley battles to save precious parking lot from housing development | Tons of Mass. school superintendents, little to show for it | Deadline and its gallows humor origin | Mass. exodus | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #mapoli #bospoli @universalhub.com #localnews

Uh-oh. Don’t do it Mayor Wu. @mayorwu.boston.gov

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" takes on the Trump administration's attempts to dictate news coverage of the Iran war Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" takes on the Trump administration's campaign to dictate news coverage of the Iran war open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #mapoli #bospoli #localnews #iranwar #trump @dankennedy.net @lmalphonse.bsky.social #petehegseth

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" digs into Iran war coverage, merging Boston's two public radio stations, the Washington Post does something right, and rants and raves | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" digs into Iran war coverage, merging Boston's two public radio stations, the Washington Post does something right, and rants and raves |
open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #media #mapoli @dankennedy.net #bospoli

Ukraine helping protect US bases in Jordan, Zelensky says | World News The deployment comes as Iran retaliates against attacks by United States and Israel, launching drones and missiles against U.S. bases, diplomatic facilities, and civilian targets across the region.

⚡️ Zelensky says 11 countries have asked Ukraine for help with interceptor drones, electronic warfare.

"Ukraine is ready to respond positively to requests from those who help us protect the lives of Ukrainians," he said.

An activist took a stand in front of the russian Embassy in Ottawa, holding a photo of the maternity hospital in Mariupol that russia bombed in 2022.

It is one of the most well-known images of russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.
This is what they are actually "proud" of.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" weighs CNN's likely future in billionaire Larry and David Ellison's Trump-friendly Paramount empire | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" weighs CNN's likely future in billionaire Larry and David Ellison's Trump-friendly Paramount empire | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli #Trump #CNN #Paramount @dankennedy.net #newsmedia #bospoli

Wow, hadn't seen Lylah Alphonse in a minute. #BeatThePress

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" offers up rants/raves about BBC's selective BAFTA editing, DOJ's crooked probe of a Post reporter, and indie reporter's big Epstein scoop | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" offers up rants/raves about BBC's selective BAFTA editing, DOJ's crooked probe of a Post reporter, and indie reporter's big Epstein scoop | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #BAFTA #TrumpEpstein @dankennedy.net #mapoli

Budget Crisis Forces Deep Cuts: Cohasset Schools Face $1.3M Shortfall COHASSET - February 25, 2026 - Facing a daunting $1.3 million deficit to maintain level services, the Cohasset School Committee reviewed a “devastating” list of recommended staff and program reductions during a remote session on February 25.

Budget Crisis Forces Deep Cuts: Cohasset Schools Face $1.3M Shortfall #mapoli #southshore

Duxbury Selectboard Grapples with Green Energy Guardrails Nuclear Moratorium and Battery Storage Zoning Take Center Stage

Duxbury Selectboard Grapples with Green Energy Guardrails #mapoli #southshore

Finalists Revealed: Scituate Narrows Search for New Elementary School Name SCITUATE — March 2, 2026 — The Scituate School Committee has officially unveiled the three finalists for the town’s new elementary school, marking a major milestone in the transition to the state-of-the-art facility scheduled to open in September 2027.

Finalists Revealed: Scituate Narrows Search for New Elementary School Name #mapoli #southshore

The hard fall of Rise, another promising Boston developer caught in market bust | Striking teachers could take pay hit | Irate over housing costs, Mass. voters could shake up the real estate market | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: The hard fall of Rise, another promising Boston developer caught in market bust | Striking teachers could take pay hit | Irate over housing costs, Mass. voters could shake up the real estate market | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli

Mass. sheriffs blow budgets and dine lavishly on public's dime | Nearly $100,000 no-show consult gig for bumbling former state transpo chief | BBC whiffs on Iranian claims about ayatollah’s funeral | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Massachusetts sheriffs blow budgets and dine lavishly on public's dime | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews @universalhub.com #sheriffs #bospoli #mapoli @oigdc.bsky.social #massachusetts #boston #newsmedia

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" dives into Iran war media coverage, AI shaking up newsrooms, the latest Bari Weiss furor, and CNN's uncertain future | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" dives into Iran war media coverage, AI shaking up newsrooms, the latest Bari Weiss furor, and CNN's uncertain future | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #localnews #mapoli #bospoli #Iranwar @universalhub.com #media #AI @dankennedy.net

New on "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney": As the Washington Post slashes staff and cuts coverage, The Wall Street Journal is riding high with major Trump scoops and big subscription gains | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" digs into the shifting fortunes of two major media powerhouses, The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #media #Trump #WashingtonPost @dankennedy.net #journalism

New on "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney": Mainstream media ramps up its coverage of the Epstein scandal after years in which conservative podcasters and news sites drove the story | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New on "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney": Mainstream media ramps up its coverage of the Epstein scandal after years in which conservative podcasters and news sites drove the story open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #localnews @universalhub.com @dankennedy.net #mapoli #bospoli #jeffreyepstein

New on "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney": Don Lemon's arrest, identity crisis, looming cuts at WaPo, columnists call Minnesota ICE shootings murder, and Scot Lehigh and David Brooks move on Editor’s note: Welcome to another segment of “Beat the Press with Emily Rooney.” Today we look at Don Lemon’s arrest, the use of the words murder and execute by two columnists in reference to the dead...

New in Contrarian Boston: "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney": Don Lemon's arrest | Identity crisis, cuts at WaPo | Columnists call Minnesota ICE shootings murder | Scot Lehigh, David Brooks depart open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #DonLemon #mapoli #bospoli #ICE #Trump

Moderate pundits leave Globe, Times | Boston nonprofit chief raises eyebrows with political schmoozing | Nancy Barnes' odd disappearance | Wu preparing new White Stadium dodge? |MBTA housing reality | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Moderate pundits leave Globe, Times | Boston nonprofit chief's political schmoozing | Nancy Barnes' odd disappearance | Wu preparing new White Stadium dodge? open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #mapoli @localnewsmatters.bsky.social @universalhub.com #bospoli

On the brand-new "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney," Emily, @scottvv.bsky.social and I take on Tony Dokoupil's embarrassing debut as anchor of the "CBS Evening News." You can watch right here: scottvanvoorhis.substack.com/p/hes-no-wal...

Catching up with ‘Beat the Press’: CBS News, media trust and Brian McGrory’s return to The Boston Globe Apologies for the delay, but the full episode of “Beat the Press with Emily Rooney” is now up. Our host, Scott Van Voorhis of Contrarian Boston, has posted it in four pieces at his YouT…

Catching up with "Beat the Press": Tony Dokoupil's less than inspiring debut; the decline of media trust; and the return of Brian McGrory to The Boston Globe. With @scottvv.bsky.social, Emily Rooney and me. dankennedy.net/2026/01/26/c...

Deep-pocketed Mass. teachers' union bankrolled more than 60 local candidates, records show | Reform reading instruction and ban cell phones from classrooms | Trump II descends into chaos | Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

New in Contrarian Boston: Congress, wake up and smell the coffee: It’s time for an intervention as Trump II becomes a chaotic mess amid threats to invade Greenland and ICE shootings

@universalhub.com @localnewsmatters.bsky.social #mapoli #bopoli #ICEshootings #Trump #schools