Worcester School Committee, legislative delegation discuss ‘disaster’ vaccine rollout as seniors struggle to get appointments
Updated Feb 26, 2021;
It’s been the story of the last week in Massachusetts: older residents and those with two co-morbidities are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but appointments have quickly filled up as residents struggle with the state’s appointment technology.
Worcester School Committee member Dianna Biancheria in a meeting Friday morning pointed out that while elementary school students and staff may be asked by the state to begin fully in-person learning in a few months, K-12 employees are not yet able to get inoculated. And further, those who are currently able to get the shot have struggled to get appointments.
WRTA board votes to extend fare suspension through June
Updated Feb 18, 2021;
The Worcester Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board voted Thursday morning to extend the suspension of fare collection through June.
The motion passed 8-0, with an abstention coming from WRTA Advisory Board chairperson William J. Lehtola. As it stands, fares will resume on July 1.
The discussion Thursday morning centered around the allocation of the $37.2M the WRTA received in COVID relief funds from the CARES Act. Advocates for a fare-free system, many from the Zero-Fare WRTA coalition, have been promoting using the funds to continue a suspension of fare collection.
State Rep. Arciero named chair of housing committee
Community Content
State Rep. James Arciero, of Westford, was chosen on Feb. 12 as the new house chair of the joint committee on housing by statehouse speaker Ronald Mariano, of Quincy, who made his leadership and committee assignments for the 192th legislative session.
“I am honored by the trust and confidence that speaker Mariano has shown me in this selection,” said Arciero, who is serving his seventh term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. “Housing is an important issue both in my district and across our state. I look forward to working with my legislative colleagues as we address these important issues over the next two years.”
Beacon Hill Roll Call Bob Katzen, Telegram & Gazette
Beacon Hill Roll Call
THE HOUSE AND SENATE
Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on a roll call from the week of Jan. 25-29. There were no roll calls in the Senate last week.
CLIMATE CHANGE (S 9)
House 144-14, Senate on a voice vote without a roll call, approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a 57-page climate change bill. A key section makes the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal net zero by 2050.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Mike Barrett (D-Cambridge) and Rep. Thomas Golden (D-Lowell) who led the successful charge for legislative approval of the legislation for several months in 2020. An identical measure had passed the House 145-9 and the Senate 38-2 in 2020 - margins that were large enough for the Legislature to easily override any gubernatorial veto. But it was too late for that. The 2020 Legislature ended on January 5 and under legislative rules, any vetoe
Support for zero-fare WRTA continues to grow as Mass. Audubon Society urges city to extend fare suspension
Updated Jan 26, 2021;
More support continues to roll in for an extension of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority’s suspension of fares.
The Mass. Audubon Society is the latest organization to vocalize its support for an extension of the WRTA’s fare free policy, which was enacted last March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, the WRTA Advisory Board debated continuing the fare-free policy or reinstating fares. As it stands, fares will resume on March 1. The board will vote on the future of the fare-free service at its next meeting. In the meantime, WRTA’s finance subcommittee will meet to review a budget for CARES Act money that was awarded to the WRTA and determine if the funds are eligible for use for a permanent zero-fare service.