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Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro will testify before state lawmakers Tuesday to discuss the problems he said his office found at the Cannabis Control Commission.
Last month, in a letter to legislative leaders, Shapiro called for a receiver to be appointed to manage daily operations at the CCC, which he called a “rudderless agency.”
Shaprio detailed his concerns on NBC10 Boston’s @Issue.
“The day-to-day operations need to be controlled, and there needs to be clarity as to who’s the operation,” Shapiro told Cory Smith.
NBC News Legal Analyst Danny Cevallos joined @Issue to talk about the Supreme Court’s immunity decision where the High Court found that presidents have presumptive immunity for official acts. Observers believe the justices handed former President Trump a big win that’s likely to delay his pending criminal trials until after the election and potentially derail them entirely.
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The commission’s chair, Shannon O’Brien, was suspended last year after allegations she made insensitive racial remarks and mistreated an employee. O’Brien has denied any wrongdoing.
The acting chair, Ava Callender Concepcion, has led the agency since last September.
Last month, the CCC voted to strip its acting executive director of her oversight role. The commission’s original executive director, Shawn Collins, resigned in December.
Shapiro told @Issue that the leadership changes are problematic for all who work at the CCC.
“If I’m an employee that works there, it’s very unclear to me to whom I report. And with this lack of clarity, in my opinion, it’s the dream of any sixth-grader that doesn’t like what’s going on at home. And they ask another parent or another adult in their life,” Shapiro said.
State Sen. Michael Moore, a Democrat in the Worcester area, has called for more state oversight of the CCC for nearly two years. He told @Issue that he wants an overhaul of the commission.
“I think in every aspect of the commission, we’ve got issues. From operational control of it, to the day to day. Treatment of staff, treatment of retailers or the people who are investing in this industry,” Moore said. “I think we need an overhaul of the agency, the operations.”
In his letter to lawmakers, Shapiro wrote that there’s a need for a receiver to oversee the CCC because “for the past two years, CCC’s staff, including its commissioners, have spent considerable time and money seeking to clarify roles and responsibilities … it does not appear the CCC, on its own, is any closer to resolving these issues.”
Ava Concepcion, the acting chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, talked about the Biden Administration’s recent reclassification of marijuana, the CCC’s social equity problem and the controversy surrounding the commission’s suspended chairwoman, Shannon O’Brien.
Concepcion, the commission’s acting chair, responded, saying the CCC has been working toward addressing concerns the report raised.
“The Cannabis Control Commission is already in the process of addressing the Inspector General’s chief concern relative to producing a charter that would help us clarify governance questions in statute,” she said in a statement. “In my view, the agency’s $160,000 investment into the creation of that charter – a standard tool used by other state agencies – over multiple fiscal years, compared to our nearly $20 million FY24 budget and the $2.48 million we returned in unspent funds at the end of FY23, is anything but waste, fraud, and abuse. As my fellow Commissioners and I have discussed publicly, we intend to have a public conversation about the outcomes of that work very soon.”
BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.
LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.
The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.
LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.
The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.
Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.
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A Massachusetts high school is under investigation after “several” teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions.
The state Department of Public Health is set to visit Uxbridge High School on Thursday to “conduct a series of air quality tests,” to determine whether the multiple cases are potentially connected.
Superintendent David Ljungberg and Principal Michael Rubin alerted families and district staff on Monday of the “sombering news,” after Uxbridge High School’s graduation over the weekend.
“We are writing to inform you about a concern we are investigating at Uxbridge High School,” Ljungberg and Rubin stated in the letter. “Several female teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions over the past few years.”
“It is, of course, possible that these multiple cases are not connected to one another,” the leaders added, “but out of abundance of caution, we are looking into any environmental factors at the school that may be a factor in their diagnoses.”
The 123,000-square-foot school, with an enrollment of roughly 600, was constructed in 2012 at a cost of $45 million, including a $22-million state reimbursement.
Uxbridge school leaders say they notified the state Department of Health and local health board as soon as they became aware of the cases, seeking “counsel about how best to proceed.”
“Massachusetts DPH officials have indicated that there is no evidence of immediate danger in the building and no reason to limit access to or use of the facility at this time,” they wrote in their letter. “In fact, the public health officials have commended our decision to approach them with these concerns, our readiness to partner with them in support of the evaluation process.”
Health officials are assessing the school’s interior and exterior to “ensure there are no issues with the infrastructure that would present risks (including electrical, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, and other systems)” and the indoor and outdoor air quality on campus.
The superintendent and principal said that state officials have ruled out water supply as a “risk factor” after “thorough testing.”
“The team has reached out to the women who have been diagnosed, requesting data to evaluate whether there may be a connection among their cases,” Ljungberg and Rubin wrote. “We are grateful for their cooperation.”
They added that the state has said discovering an environmental “smoking gun” is “rare” in workplace investigations.
“However, even if a direct causal link is not established,” the leaders wrote, “the administration is utilizing this process to rigorously test the building and guarantee that it meets all safety standards moving forward.”
Local News
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.
In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.
“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.
The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.
“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”
The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.
“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.
She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”
In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.
Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.
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