Massachusetts
Massachusetts bill aims to make child care more accessible and affordable
BOSTON (AP) — Top Democrats in the Massachusetts Senate unveiled legislation Thursday they said would help make early education and child care more accessible and affordable at a time when the cost of care has posed a financial hurdle for families statewide.
The bill would make permanent grants that currently provide monthly payments directly to early education and child care providers.
Those grants — which help support more than 90% of early education and child care programs in the state — were credited with helping many programs keep their doors open during the pandemic, reducing tuition costs, increasing compensation for early educators, and expanding the number of child care slots statewide, supporters of the bill said.
The proposal would also expand eligibility for child care subsidies to families making up to 85% of the state median income — $124,000 for a family of four. It would eliminate cost-sharing fees for families below the federal poverty line and cap fees for all other families receiving subsidies at 7% of their income.
Under the plan, the subsidy program for families making up to 125% of the state median income — $182,000 for a family of four — would be expanded when future funds become available.
Democratic Senate President Karen Spilka said the bill is another step in making good on the chamber’s pledge to provide “high-quality educational opportunities to our children from birth through adulthood, as well as our obligation to make Massachusetts affordable and equitable for our residents and competitive for employers.”
The bill would create a matching grant pilot program designed to provide incentives for employers to invest in new early education slots with priority given to projects targeted at families with lower incomes and those who are located in so-called child care deserts.
The bill would also require the cost-sharing fee scale for families participating in the child care subsidy program to be updated every five years, establish a pilot program to support smaller early education and care programs, and increase the maximum number of children that can be served by large family child care programs, similar to programs in New York, California, Illinois, and Maryland.
Deb Fastino, director of the Common Start Coalition, a coalition of providers, parents, early educators and advocates, welcomed the legislation, calling it “an important step towards fulfilling our vision of affordable child care options for families” while also boosting pay and benefits for early educators and creating a permanent, stable source of funding for providers.
The Senate plans to debate the bill next week.
:quality(70):focal(2065x620:2075x630)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/AQALQC23QJAKHEJUCAIKGPWMXY.jpg)
They say marijuana can give you the munchies. That may explain the alleged break-in spree of two from Massachusetts.
According to police, on Saturday, at approximately 5:36 a.m., Blackstone Police received multiple reports of car break-ins on Michelle Lane and Ascension Street, and break-ins at multiple businesses including, First Choice Dispensary and Casa Burrito.
Officers responded to the area. Through a preliminary investigation, which included reviewing surveillance footage and through the cooperation of the public, officers were able to identify two juveniles, a 15-year-old male and 17-year-old male both from Blackstone.
Both juveniles are being charged with the following:
- Breaking and Entering into a Vehicle in the Nighttime
- Breaking and Entering into a Building in the Nighttime (Two Counts)
- Larceny from a Building
- Larceny under $1,200
- Larceny of a Credit Card
- Malicious Destruction Under $1,200
- Trespassing
- Larceny Under $1,200 by False Pretense
Both juveniles are expected to be charged in Milford District Court next week.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — A new campaign headquarters opened up in Massachusetts for former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday.
The office is located at the DeMello International Center on Union Street in New Bedford.
Massachusetts GOP Chair Amy Carnevale and former Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, chairman for Trump’s campaign in Massachusetts, delivered remarks.
Another office in Massachusetts opened up a couple of weeks prior in Northborough.
A week after a tornado watch was issued to Massachusetts and some parts of New England, more inclement weather could hit the region Sunday.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday for the Bay State, Rhode Island and most of Connecticut, according to the National Weather Service Forecast office. Southern New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont face a hazardous weather outlook.
A detailed forecast for Massachusetts shows a chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday afternoon after 2 p.m. with a high around 84 degrees and winds from the southwest coming in around 16 mph.
“Some of the storms could be severe and produce heavy rainfall.” the forecast reads.
This evening, showers and thunderstorms remain likely throughout the state, mainly before 10 p.m. The forecast calls for cloud coverage in the early portion of the evening which should clear up later on. The temperature could drop as low as 61 degrees with winds coming in from the west around 11 mph.
Total rainfall on Sunday could range from a little over an inch to almost three, according to the forecast.
Additionally, the National Weather Service’s storm prediction center upgraded the southern part of New England to an enhanced risk (a level 3 out of 5) for severe weather on Sunday.
“Areal coverage of storms will increase this afternoon with damaging wind the primary threat, but large hail and an isolated tornado is also possible,” NWS said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Why is a Monaco billionaire buying so many properties in Carmel and Big Sur?
25 years after 13-year-old dancer's death, her legacy lives on at L.A. charter schools
'90 Day Fiancé' Shekinah Garner Defends Fiancé For Sleeping with 2,500 Women
Opinion: If you were relieved by the Supreme Court's abortion rulings this term, think again
Miguel Rojas is shining at shortstop. Will Dodgers keep him there when Mookie Betts returns?
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Four takeaways from French legislative elections
What to know about Louisiana's new surgical castration law
California GOP lawmakers slam Newsom-backed budget as unsustainable, say Republicans left out of negotiations
The Take: The art of the debate – What the Biden-Trump face-off was missing
Biden’s family reportedly tell him to stay in presidential race as blame shifts to advisers
-
News1 week agoTracking a Single Day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
-
World1 week agoIsrael accepts bilateral meeting with EU, but with conditions
-
News1 week agoA Florida family is suing NASA after a piece of space debris crashed through their home
-
World1 week agoIs Israel’s Smotrich fulfilling his dream of annexing the West Bank?
-
News1 week agoSupreme Court upholds law barring domestic abusers from owning guns in major Second Amendment ruling | CNN Politics
-
Politics1 week agoSupreme Court upholds federal gun ban for those under domestic violence restraining orders
-
World1 week agoNew Caledonia independence activists sent to France for detention
-
World1 week agoIsrael will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Hezbollah, Iran says