In the News

Pipeline safety legislation inspired by Lawrence gas disaster is part of federal spending package By: Martin Finucane Pipeline safety legislation introduced in response to the 2018 natural gas explosions and fires in the Lawrence area is included in the year-end spending package passed by Congress and awaiting the president’s signature, lawmakers said Tuesday. The legislation is named… Read more »

Westford 8th-graders’ app helps nonprofits WESTFORD — U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan announced that Westford eighth graders Arav Jain and Som Lunavat are winners of the Third Congressional District’s annual Congressional App Challenge. The two students’ application, Work for Cause, was selected by a panel of local judges from a pool of submissions from middle-school and high school students who… Read more »

Five Democrats Join the All-Powerful House E&C Committee WASHINGTON, D.C. —With the retirement of Ranking Member Greg Walden and the expected transition of power at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW to President-Elect Joe Biden, the committee in the House of Representatives that oversees the FCC has appointed five new Democratic members. They’ll take their seats with the start… Read more »

Ashish Jha: Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is ‘safe,’ more authorizations could be ‘game-changer’ By: Lisa Kashinsky Dr. Ashish Jha feels “like a Grinch” saying it, but the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health really wants you not to gather with loved ones for the winter holidays. “Just like Thanksgiving I am again forgoing the opportunity to spend the holidays with my… Read more »

What’s lost when minor league baseball leaves By: Barry Svrluga For 25 summers from a perch in the press box high above Dunn Field, Marty Chalk served as the public address announcer and official scorer for his hometown Elmira Pioneers. They were a short-season Class A team in the New York-Penn League — which, as of this week, we should call the defunct New York-Penn League. Wade Boggs… Read more »

Rep. Trahan hosts virtual discussion on struggles and needs of health care workers By: Stefan Geller LOWELL — In an effort to shed more light on the challenges being faced by health care workers across the country, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan hosted a virtual discussion with a California congressman and the head of Massachusetts’ largest nursing union on Wednesday, speaking on what needs… Read more »

‘Cards for Caring’ initiative launches in collaboration with Reps. Trahan and McGovern LEOMINSTER – Montachusett Home Care Corp. has announced the inaugural launch of the “Cards for Caring” initative for the holiday season. In collaboration with Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Congressman Jim McGovern, MHCC will reach across the 21 communities in North Central Massachusetts to gather… Read more »

Time to build on Mass. registered apprenticeship program By: Rep. Lori Trahan and Rosalin Acosta THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE is at a crossroads. It’s understandable that a lot of workers to feel like there’s no place left for them in the 21st Century economy, given the jobs being sent overseas, the automation replacing workers by the hundreds, and the uncertainty of an economy… Read more »

MassDOT seeks more federal funding as Massachusetts bridges fall into disrepair By: Stefan Geller LOWELL – You don’t have to drive underneath one of the thousands of decaying bridges in Massachusetts to know that the state’s infrastructure is far from perfect, but a recent federal report indicates that things are only getting worse. The Federal Highway Administration released new data… Read more »

Haverhill welcomes new veterans housing: 44 units at edge of downtown By: Mike LaBella HAVERHILL — The city is continuing partnering in the development of affordable housing for area veterans and their families with the official opening of the Gerson Building. The new complex consisting of 44 units, mostly for veterans, was built on the site where Gerson Furniture company operated for… Read more »