Massachusetts
Antisemitism education amendment passed in Massachusetts
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – As the Massachusetts Senate continues to debate their budget bill, an amendment to combat antisemitism passed last night.
We spoke with Senator John Velis, and he told us it was an emotional night in State House as many of his Jewish colleagues shared their experiences with antisemitism. He believes requiring the state to come up with a curriculum to educate students and teachers on the vast history of antisemitism is a step in the right direction. Especially as the number of antisemitic instances are on the rise here in the Commonwealth.
Longmeadow parent Shelley Barron told us, “My involvement was really catalyzed by, there was an incident where there was a swastika found on a whiteboard in Longmeadow High School seen by the child of a friend of mine and by our child, so that was very distressing for many of us here in the Longmeadow and kind of the Lower Valley Jewish community.
Shelley Barron is a parent of a 1st grader at Blueberry Hill Elementary School in Longmeadow. As a Jewish mom raising Jewish children, she told us she’s noticed an uptick in antisemitic biases, especially since October 7th when the Israel-Hamas war officially ignited.
This uptick in hatred here in western Mass is what has led her to become an advocate for educating students and the public on the harm of antisemitism, and now an amendment to the state senate budget introduced by Senator John Velis would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to come up with a curriculum to educate students and teachers on antisemitism both historically and beyond. It passed 40 to 0 on Wednesday night.
Velis explained, “I’ve had a lot of meetings recently. I should say with constituents telling me about their kids, kids eight years old, just young young, young telling me about how their loved one, their child, their grandson, granddaughter is embarrassed to say, sad to say, scared to say that they’re Jewish.”
From vandalism to physical assault and verbal harassment, Senator Velis told us antisemitism in our state has gone up over 100%.
To put that in perspective, only 3 percent of our state’s population is Jewish, meanwhile, that small group of our population is on the receiving end of over 60% of all hate crimes that occur in Massachusetts.
Senator Velis added there are five states with 50% of Jewish hate and antisemitism in the U.S. and Massachusetts is among those five.
These alarming numbers are why the senate is working to lend a hand to our Jewish residents and find the root cause of this severe hatred.
Barron added, “I think it’s actually really important to integrate age appropriate curriculum to create safer schools for all children.”
CEO of the Jewish Federation of Western Mass told us there is a lack of understanding by many administrations and officials on what truly qualifies as an act of antisemitism, and they are noticing a lot of hatred going unreported. Gorenstein feels this amendment could potentially help to target this issue.
“I hope that it will help our schools and communities better recognize and connect the dots when these small, isolated things actually happen that they are part of a bigger picture unfortunately and a framework that we want to be disrupting.”
The budget is being reviewed in the Senate as we speak, and once passed, it will then go to a conference committee to come up with a compromise bill with the house. Senator Velis is optimistic that this antisemitism education amendment will be included in the final draft. I did reach out to DESE as well as the Massachusetts Teachers Association for comment but haven’t yet heard back.
Copyright 2024. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
BOSTON (WWLP) – Gov. Maura Healey announced on Wednesday a comprehensive statewide initiative to reduce wrong-way driving incidents across Massachusetts.
The program combines advanced detection technology, enhanced roadway signage, infrastructure improvements and targeted safety upgrades to improve road safety and prevent tragedies.
The multi-year effort will focus on more than 500 high-risk locations across the state where drivers may be more likely to enter roadways in the wrong direction. Once complete, Mass. aims to have one of the strongest wrong-way prevention and detection programs in the country.
Jonathan Gulliver, undersecretary and state highway administrator, stated, “This plan combines detection, prevention and infrastructure improvements that are already underway and will continue over the next few years. Detection measures include technology that provides real-time alerts and warnings when wrong-way driving is identified, while enhanced signage and pavement markings will help clearly guide drivers and prevent these incidents from occurring in the first place.”
Gov. Maura Healey highlighted the human cost of wrong-way crashes. “We’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact that wrong-way driving crashes can have on families, law enforcement and communities across Massachusetts,” Gov. Healey said. “People deserve to be safe on our roads and we’re taking action. By investing in new technology, stronger safety measures and targeted infrastructure improvements, we’re working to prevent these crashes before they happen and help save lives.”
Lieutenant Gov. Kim Driscoll emphasized the safety benefits for all road users. “Every person who gets behind the wheel should be able to get where they’re going safely,” Lieutenant Gov. Driscoll said. “These investments will help us prevent wrong-way driving incidents, strengthen coordination with first responders and make our transportation system safer for drivers, passengers and families across Massachusetts.”
MassDOT will retrofit approximately 430 existing signalized intersections and mainline camera systems statewide. This new wrong-way detection technology will identify wrong-way movements and provide real-time alerts to transportation officials and law enforcement. New hardware will be installed within existing signal cabinets to enable data collection, detection and notification capabilities. Following installation, the systems will be integrated with activated warning measures, including illuminated signs with flashing LEDs designed to alert drivers before they enter a highway in the wrong direction.
Safety upgrades are also being implemented at highway ramps and interchanges statewide. These upgrades include enhanced WRONG WAY and DO NOT ENTER signage, improved pavement markings, directional arrows and lighting improvements designed to reduce driver confusion.
MassDOT is also piloting next-generation wrong-way detection technologies at locations without existing infrastructure. Data collected from these pilots will identify areas requiring more significant roadway improvements, such as curb and island realignment, ramp reconfiguration to clarify driving paths and channelization enhancements.
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican from Gloucester, noted the urgency of the action. “Today our state embarks on a mission to use those tools and make our highways safer for everyone who travels on them,” Sen. Tarr said. “While we are working toward the final passage of legislation to codify a state plan in statute, the steps announced today will begin making a difference as soon as they are taken.”
The initiative also acknowledges the severe impact of past incidents. Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble spoke about the personal toll on law enforcement. “The Massachusetts State Police continue to mourn the loss of Trooper Kevin Trainor, who gave his life while attempting to stop a wrong-way driver,” Col. Noble said. “His sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the dangers our Troopers confront every day in their mission to protect the public. While our men and women continue to respond courageously to dangerous driving incidents, these roadway improvements and investments in technology will provide another critical tool to help prevent tragedies and ensure that everyone makes it home safely.”
Sen. Joan B. Lovely, a Democrat from Salem, mentioned specific local impacts. “Our district has felt the cost of wrong-way driving in the most painful way, with the loss of Trooper Trainor and a second trooper struck on the same stretch of Route 1 weeks later,” Sen. Lovely said. “I am grateful to Gov. Healey for taking real action. This plan reflects the prevention we fought for in the Senate’s FY2027 budget and I will keep pushing to bring these safety measures to corridors like Route 1 so other families are spared this grief.”
Brian Williams, president of the State Police Association of MA, praised the proactive approach. “Entering a divided highway in the wrong direction is a reckless, lethal act,” Williams said. “We appreciate Gov. Healey’s proactive leadership in launching this advanced early detection initiative. Combining this tech-driven approach with enacting an expanded Move Over law will create the comprehensive safety net needed to protect our members and everyone on Massachusetts roads.”
Retired Chief Michael Bradley Jr., executive director of the Massachusetts Chief of Police Association, also voiced support for the solutions. “Wrong-way driving incidents are among the most dangerous events on our roadways, often resulting in tragic consequences for motorists, passengers and first responders,” Bradley said. “The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association applauds Gov. Healey, MassDOT and our legislative partners for investing in proactive solutions that will help prevent these crashes and save lives.”
Improvements are already underway, with additional installations expected to begin in the coming weeks. The installations for the new detection technology will occur throughout 2026 and 2027. MassDOT will continue to evaluate roadway conditions, collect data and identify opportunities to further reduce wrong-way driving incidents across Massachusetts.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WWLP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WWLP staff before being published.
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A motorcyclist was flown to a hospital after a crash on Cape Cod Tuesday afternoon.
Police in Sandwich, Massachusetts, said they responded alongside fire crews to the crash involving a car and a motorcycle at the intersection of Old County Road and Route 6A shortly after 3:30 p.m.
The bike’s operator, a 65-year-old Barnstable man, was injured and in serious need of medical attention. He was airlifted to an area hospital, police said.
Authorities did not have any further information about the motorcyclist’s condition.
The 39-year-old Sandwich man in the other vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, was not injured, according to police. He stayed at the scene and cooperated with officers.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Massachusetts
A ban on single-use plastic bags? Not so fast, House committee says – The Boston Globe
“The House version of the Mass Ready Act ignores the urgency of our climate threats,” said Dave McGlinchey, executive director of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance. “It’s hard to call a bill ‘Mass Ready’ when it strips out [these] measures.”
State representatives have filed amendments to restore some of these provisions, and advocates expect the total amount the bill will authorize the state to borrow to increase.
“The jury is still out on that,” said David Melly, senior policy director for the Environmental League of Massachusetts. “We’ll wait and see what the final total is.”
The House is scheduled to vote on the bill on Wednesday. If the bill passes, it will head to a conference committee where legislators will try to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions.
House Speaker Ron Mariano and Representative Aaron Michlewitz, the chamber’s budget chief, praised the proposal in a joint statement as a step forward for the state’s climate and environment priorities. (Michlewitz did not return a request for an interview.)
“This legislation is the latest example of Massachusetts’ ironclad commitment to protecting our environment and to leading the fight against climate change,” the legislators said.
Senator Becca Rausch, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, applauded the House for bringing the bill to the floor in a statement, noting several points of agreement between the chambers.
“Each chamber’s contributions add to the strength of the climate action and environmental protection policies and funding so critical to our communities and our Commonwealth,” she said.
Senator Jamie Eldridge said the overlap between the two bills was a positive sign that the legislature would get a version of the Mass Ready Act to the governor’s desk.
Eldridge, who authored the drought management legislation included in the Senate bill, said he’d continue to advocate for the policy, which would allow the state to establish outdoor watering restrictions during droughts — a “common sense change,” he said.
The plastic bag ban has been closely watched by environmentalists, who hope its inclusion in the Senate bond bill as opposed to passing it as a standalone piece of legislation will increase its chances of becoming law.
The provision passed by the Senate in April would allow retailers to offer reusable bags without a charge and recycled paper bags with a minimum 10-cent fee. It would also make plastic straws and utensils available only by request to customers.
Single-use plastic bags are already barred in about a dozen states across the country, including nearly all of New England. More than 160 Massachusetts cities and towns regulate them.
“Like many people, all I can do is think of sports metaphors these days,” said Janet Domenitz, the executive director of Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization. “This is definitely dropping the ball.”
Nancy Downes, field campaigns manager for Oceana in Massachusetts, said polling shows that the vast majority of voters in the state support policies that reduce single-use plastic. Oceana, an ocean conservation advocacy organization, is part of a coalition of more than 40 organizations pushing to reduce and eliminate plastic whenever possible in Massachusetts.
“The Massachusetts legislature has an opportunity to tackle the plastic pollution crisis in the Commonwealth, and voters are ready for this,” she said.
The ban has repeatedly failed in the legislature. The Senate has backed a ban at least four times, but the measure has never passed in the House. It is opposed by the plastic bag industry and some retailers.
“Affordability is clearly the top priority for our residents, and we thank the House of Representatives for being laser-focused on that fact,” said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. He said the Senate language would raise the costs of buying from local retailers and push customers out of state.
Material from a previous Globe story was used in this report.
Kate Selig can be reached at kate.selig@globe.com. Follow her on X @kate_selig.
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