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Massachusetts mom's kids left without bus service as migrants reportedly add to district's 'financial' strain

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Massachusetts mom's kids left without bus service as migrants reportedly add to district's 'financial' strain

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Parents of over 100 students in a suburban Boston school district are left to find ways to get their children to class after lack of funding and shortages led to a lack of bus service outside of grades K-6. 

Local mom Ashley Francois is one of those parents. After her license was indefinitely suspended for medical reasons three years ago, she says she has faced challenges with getting her kids to school.

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“In February of ’23, the school system actually filed educational neglect on me,” she told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.

“One of my children on the IEP [Individualized Education Program] has school refusal, and that’s one of the kids not allowed on the bus or taken off the bus, so they just basically gave right into exactly what this child wanted and that’s not to be at school.”

OVER 100 STUDENTS WITHOUT BUS SERVICE AS MASSACHUSETTS FUNDS BUSES FOR MIGRANTS

A student at a middle school in San Diego was airlifted to a hospital following a fight, school officials said.  (REUTERS)

“Now you’ve made it absolutely impossible for me to get him there to access the curriculum, the services that you are specializing for him, so he’s not getting to school to get these services,” she continued. “Kids aren’t going to be able to access any type of curriculum from the Stoughton Public Schools if there’s no way to get them there.”

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As of now, only Francois’ elementary-aged student is able to get a bus ride to school. Faced with the new challenge, combined with her strict budget and her inability to maintain a license, she told Fox News she is considering keeping her other kids at home.

“Am I supposed to pay between four to six Ubers a day for the entirety of the school year to get my children to school, and then question how I’m going to pay for my home, the electricity, the food they need to eat, the clothes and school supplies? Because we get probably two pages [list] of school supplies for each grade,” she said.

MIGRANTS SLEEPING AT BOSTON AIRPORT TO BE REMOVED AS BAN GOES INTO EFFECT

Massachusetts’ migrant population has risen byuu the thousands since 2021. (Fox News)

The bus service controversy comes as Massachusetts recently funded buses for students from the more than 200 migrant families that moved into their community, though local Superintendent of Schools Joseph Baeta insists that isn’t the reason for the problem.

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In a statement to Fox News, Baeta said the following: “When we completed the process of no-fee busing we received 162 more requests this year. We could not have anticipated such an increase. To that end, we provided busing as of Friday for all K-6 students within our policy.”

“We are addressing this issue this coming week (should be close to 100% getting transportation),” the statement continued. “We will know more after Tuesday.”

In a separate letter to parents, Baeta said the state of Massachusetts does not require bus transportation for students in grades 7-12, but the state does require transportation for those living in hotels and shelters.

BOSTON MAYOR SILENT ON SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES AMID MIGRANT CRIME REPORTS  

Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border. Migrant populations have exploded throughout the nation under the current administration. ( (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente))

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The letter also said budget restraints left the district with one less bus than last year and a shortage of bus drivers also exacerbated the problem.

“We are utilizing funding the state provides to the district to bus the students living in hotels/shelters,” the letter said in part. “The funding for these two buses does not come from our operational budget. It is inaccurate to suggest that these children receiving busing is the reason yours did not. If we were not receiving the funding from the state for the students living in hotels/shelters, we would not be able to have these two additional buses.”

In a letter earlier this year, Baeta listed the uptick in student enrollment – partially due to the increased migrant population – as a factor in creating “financial pressures.”

Fox News’ Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.

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New York

In First Campaign Ad, Schlossberg Leans on a Well-Known Name: Pelosi

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In First Campaign Ad, Schlossberg Leans on a Well-Known Name: Pelosi

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, has built his campaign for a New York City House seat around turning the page on the Democrats’ old guard.

Yet when he debuts his first paid advertisement on Wednesday, the 33-year-old candidate has chosen his party’s oldest living leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, to do the talking.

The choice reflects the unique challenge Mr. Schlossberg faces ahead of a marquee June primary against more seasoned rivals. He may have star power and youth, but he is still trying to persuade aging voters who form the Democratic base that he is serious and experienced enough to represent a storied Manhattan district — home to corporate chieftains, media empires and cultural meccas.

The 30-second ad, which was shared first with The New York Times, uses Ms. Pelosi, a former House speaker, to make his case. In it, the congresswoman, 86, speaks directly to the camera to say that Mr. Schlossberg has “a deep sense of duty” and the kind of energy that could help propel Democrats back to power nationally.

“This moment calls for leaders who understand the stakes and how to deliver for the people they serve,” she says, sometimes over clips of him campaigning. “Jack Schlossberg is that kind of leader.”

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Mr. Schlossberg is among the first candidates in New York’s 12th District to start spending on paid media. But a handful of super PACs funded by competing A.I. companies and former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg have already burned through millions of dollars trying to sway voters toward or away from his rivals.

Mr. Schlossberg’s outlay will be relatively modest in comparison. The campaign said it would initially spend $70,000 on digital platforms, and eventually add more digital spending and $250,000 in broadcast TV time — a relatively small sum in the nation’s most expensive media market.

Mr. Schlossberg, who has reported inherited assets between $10 million and $32 million, said he would not be spending any of his own money in the race. He does not have a super PAC behind him.

While there has been no real public polling to date, private polls released by several of Mr. Schlossberg’s rivals have all narrowly put him in the lead.

With two months left until Primary Day, two state assemblymen — Alex Bores and Micah Lasher — are not far behind; followed by George Conway, a former Republican turned high-profile antagonist of President Trump, and Nina Schwalbe, a public health expert. Because the seat is safely Democratic, the primary winner will almost certainly win the general election to replace Representative Jerrold Nadler, who is retiring.

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Mr. Schlossberg, earlier known for a head-turning social media presence, has largely tried to portray his opponents as old-fashioned, risk-averse establishment figures who have not been able to check Mr. Trump. They, in turn, have raised doubts about the thinness of his résumé, which includes no long-term traditional work experience, elected or otherwise.

In an interview, Mr. Schlossberg said it was an obvious choice to turn to Ms. Pelosi, who is perhaps her party’s most respected elder stateswoman.

“Speaker Pelosi is the backbone of our party,” he said. “She most importantly understands better than anyone how the House of Representatives works and what the Democratic Party needs right now.”

Yet embracing Ms. Pelosi may also have its costs, complicating Mr. Schlossberg’s attempts to position himself as an outsider and a fresh face by reminding voters of his family’s deep ties to the Democratic establishment.

Mr. Schlossberg said he believes he first met Ms. Pelosi when he was in high school. Alongside his family, he presented her with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2019.

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The candidate said Ms. Pelosi asked to meet with him in her Washington office before she endorsed his campaign in February.

“I printed out all my plans I have for the district and the country,” he said. “She read them over and quizzed me.”

An earlier version of the ad shared with The Times included footage of Mr. Schlossberg and Ms. Pelosi spending time with his mother, the former ambassador Caroline Kennedy, and his niece, the daughter of his sister Tatiana Schlossberg. (Ms. Schlossberg, who was an environmental journalist, died in December after a fight with blood cancer that she chronicled in a widely read essay.) That footage was cut from the final ad before it was distributed.

In the interview, Mr. Schlossberg said he exempted Ms. Pelosi from his critique of this party’s aging officials — and argued voters would, too.

“I put her in a category of her own,” he said. “She has magic that doesn’t age. It wins.”

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Boston, MA

Fancy Hats Can Be Cool

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Fancy Hats Can Be Cool


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Ellie Ayati-Jian and Jaine Davies, two Greater Boston milliners, are raising the brim—and the bar.


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Pretty in pink, blue, and yellow and festooned with ribbon, feathers, and a bold flower, this fascinator was created by Ellie Jian Millinery. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists

At spring events like the Kentucky Derby and Boston’s own “hat luncheon,” the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s annual Party in the Park, hats have long shaped the conversation—an expected flourish of brim and bloom marking the start of the season. In recent years, however, the role of the hat has evolved, from celebratory flourish to considered craft.

Leading that charge locally is Ellie Jian Millinery, the Newton studio founded by Ellie Ayati-Jian. Trained in architecture and interior design, Ayati-Jian brings a structural sensibility to her work, approaching millinery less as ornament and more as wearable design. Her hats—ranging from floral fascinators to structured couture pieces—are engineered with intention, balancing form, proportion, and comfort. “What drew me in was the energy and sense of community around derby events,” Ayati-Jian says. “They bring together fashion, tradition, and celebration in a very social way.” That social element remains central to her work: She’s a familiar presence at Boston events, often modeling her own designs to show how even bold headpieces can feel approachable.

Round blue hatbox with a matching lid beside it, adorned with a decorative pink mesh bow and a cluster of dark blue fabric flowers on top, set against a light purple background.

This Ellie Jian Millinery pink fascinator is anchored by deep blue handmade flower. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists

Ayati-Jian’s creative process begins not with sketching, but with research—architecture, art, fashion history, or a client’s personal story—until a concept emerges. She often spends days gathering visual references before touching a single material, allowing a narrative to emerge before form takes shape. From there, she shapes and refines her hats by hand.

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Ayati-Jian says toppers incorporating clean shapes, softer brims, and sculptural forms are now trending—which, given the city’s fashion predilections, is a big advantage. “Boston style is generally more conservative, and I think that works beautifully with this direction,” she says. “Bostonians appreciate quality, craftsmanship, and timeless design.”

Green fascinator hat featuring large, sculpted fabric loops and a prominent peacock feather with additional thin black feathers extending outward. The hat is displayed on a beige mannequin head against a white background.

The “Monaco” by IndigoHats is made of silk with a peacock feather. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats

She’s not the only one taking advantage of the recent hat craze. Raised in England near a major horse race, Jaine Davies, whose millinery studio, IndigoHats, is based on the South Shore, grew up immersed in a culture where hats signaled occasion. Her ideas often begin in a small notebook she carries everywhere, filled with details spotted at museum exhibitions and in historical garments. “Couture runway shows are really important to study,” says Davies, who observes the season’s designer dresses closely, translating their colors, embroidery, and silhouettes into hats ready for her studio. She handblocks each piece on traditional wooden forms and sews every hat by hand, pairing time-honored techniques with an adventurous use of materials. Alongside classic straws, Davies works with Dupioni silks, richly patterned textiles, beadwork, and meticulously crafted feather flowers designed to be as light as they are dramatic.

For Davies, drama and discipline go hand in hand. “I want to wow from a distance and impress close up with how well made they are,” she says. Indeed, her hats accomplish exactly that.

Small magenta fascinator hat featuring a large fabric rose, delicate netting veil, and decorative curled feathers.

The shop’s “Aster” is a pillbox style with quills and sophisticated veiling. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats

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This article was first published in the print edition of the April 2026 issue, with the headline,“Head First.”



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Pittsburg, PA

Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, Don Toliver and more Pittsburgh concerts in May

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Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, Don Toliver and more Pittsburgh concerts in May






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