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Here's Who Pays for Massachusetts Governor Healey's Trip to Italy

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Here's Who Pays for Massachusetts Governor Healey's Trip to Italy


Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey seems to be among the most-traveled chief executives in recent memory, given the number of trips she has taken in the short time she has been in office.

When you think she is home to stay for a while, she is off again on another adventure. Some of it is even business-related.

Since assuming office on January 5, 2023, Healey has racked up the frequent flier miles.

In March 2024, Healey’s handlers and some in the press had a dust-up over whether the governor should have to announce when she is leaving town and where she goes. The administration blinked.

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In the first 16 months of her administration, Healey traveled to Florida, Washington, North Carolina, Ireland, Puerto Rico and New Hampshire, that I can recall. She has been to DC at least a couple of times.

A March 19, 2024 report by Politico said up to that point, “Healey has spent at least 47 nights and 65 days out of state since taking office, according to a Playbook analysis of her calendars, news reports, and information from the governor’s office.”

Here’s Who Pays For Massachusetts Governor Healey’s Trip To Italy

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Upon completing a trade mission to Ireland last year, Healey bypassed Massachusetts on the return trip and spent the following week vacationing in Rhode Island.

Healey’s Irish sojourn cost an estimated $83,000, paid for with state funds and some private dollars. 

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Maura’s next big adventure is on you.

From May 14-17, 2024, Governor Healey, her climate chief Melissa Hoffer and three aides will visit Rome. The trip is paid for with taxpayer money from the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund, the intent of which is to “promote tourism in the state and help regional tourism councils.”  

The trip includes a private meeting with Pope Francis.  

State House News Service reported Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will “provide a keynote address at the opening session of a climate-focused conference hosted by the Vatican.” Boston taxpayers will foot the bill for Wu’s expenses.

The governor’s office won’t know how much you and I are on the hook for until the trip ends.

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The Best Reviews From People Who Had The Worst Time Visiting The White House

You think people are impressed visiting the White House? Think again. Visitors who have toured the White House grounds have taken to Yelp to voice their displeasure about everything from the size of the building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. to Secret Service being rude to them when they got lost.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

LET’S GO: The most popular historic sites in America





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‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran

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‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran


Massachusetts families are stuck in the Middle East amid the war in Iran, and Democratic Sen. Ed Markey says the State Department needs to do more to get them home.

The Trump administration is telling Americans to leave the region, and families would love to, but they haven’t been able to get out.

Stacey Schuhwerk of Hingham has been sheltering in place in a Doha hotel since Saturday.

“We hear the missiles outside,” she said. “We can see them.”

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The Hingham mother and her son are among nearly 1,600 Americans trapped in the Middle East with no way to get home.

“Airspace is shut down. There’s no planes,” said Schuhwerk. “There’s no way to leave.”

Flights between Boston and the Middle East are canceled or delayed as travelers express anxiety over the conflict.

At first, U.S. officials told people to shelter in place and register with the State Department — something Schuhwerk did days ago.

“There’s no help there. The last time we called was 20 minutes ago, and they continue to say that ‘We don’t know anything about any plans for government help to get people out,’” she said.

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Embassies and consulates across the region — including the U.S. Embassy in Israel — have now suspended services, saying they simply can’t get Americans out.

“They did not have a plan to conduct this war, and they clearly did not have a plan as to how to evacuate innocent families,” Markey said.

The senator says his office is hearing from Massachusetts families, and he’s pressuring the Trump administration to come up with an evacuation plan fast.

“We are going to apply that pressure on the State Department until every American who wants to leave that region is out,” he said.

Back in Doha, Schuhwerk keeps watching the war outside her window.

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“The talk here is ‘How much defensive ammunition’s left?’ Good question, you know, because the missiles aren’t stopping,” she said. “So how long are we going to be safe here?”

With no clear end to this conflict, she’s worried she could be stuck there for weeks.



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Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


Happy Tuesday! While today started off dry, we’re already looking at snow out there across the area. While this event will primarily stay as rain on the Cape and islands, it will be an icy mix of snow, ice and rain for the rest of us.

The rain/snow line will continue to advance from the south to the north as the evening progresses. Before the changeover, there will be a quick coating to 2 inches for most of our area.

The threshold between the snow and rain will feature sleet and freezing rain, leading to that icing.

For the rest of the night, there will primarily be rain with continued pockets of freezing rain, leading to increasing spotty ice accretion. Be extremely careful on roads, especially since switching between rain and freezing rain can wash off any road salt.

The rain and freezing rain will exit by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but temperatures will still be close to freezing during the morning commute, so watch out for some spotty black ice.

The rest of Wednesday will be really nice! Highs will warm up to the mid 50s with the help of ample sun.

Thursday we start off in the mid 20s and top off in the mid 40s. We’ll be partly sunny with another chance for some wintry weather Thursday night. This primarily looks like some rain and freezing rain, rather than the triple threat with snow too. We’ll keep an eye on that for you.

That will continue into Friday morning. The rest of Friday: cloudy with a chance for a spot shower and highs cooler again in the upper 30s. Saturday will be dry, breezy and cloudy but gorgeous near 50 degrees! There’s a chance for some rain showers Saturday night. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour before you to go bed!

Sunday we start the day mild in the 40s and make it all the way into the upper 50s with more sun. Monday and Tuesday both look bright and in the 60s! Stay tuned.

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Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks

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Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks




Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks – CBS Boston

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Poya Sohrabi hasn’t heard from his family since they took shelter from attacks in Tehran. WBZ-TV’s Mike Sullivan reports.

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