Massachusetts
Melissa Lavinson gets some help as she helps shepherd the state’s clean energy transition – The Boston Globe
The group, Lavinson said, will meet quarterly but will also convene in smaller numbers to work on specific issues. The board already faces three big tasks: planning for what to do after the LNG terminal in Everett potentially closes in six years, reducing the reliance on so-called “peaker plants” that are fired by fossil fuels, and recommending ways to finance important grid upgrades. The board is large, she said, in part to get people who don’t normally talk with each other to interact. There’s a pressing need, she added, to meet aggressive emissions mandates, and to craft sustainable solutions that can be replicated elsewhere.
“We are in a race against time when it comes to climate change,” Lavinson said. “It will take all of us working together.”
She’s held numerous positions in the utility industry over the past three decades, including jobs at PG&E and Exelon — but nothing quite like this role.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Lavinson added. “I can’t think of a better place to be for me right now at this moment, personally or professionally, than here, doing this job.”
Charger debate revs up at Massport hearing
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Should Massport start charging for charging?
That question seemed to vex the port authority’s board last Thursday. Joel Barrera, Massport’s director of strategic and business planning, proposed ending the free ride at Massport’s 66 electric vehicle charging ports, most of them at Logan Airport.
He suggested charging 25 cents per kilowatt hour plus a connection fee of $2, starting Sept. 1, ostensibly to dissuade travelers from parking their EVs at a port and leaving them there for days while out of town, preventing others from using it. He said it’s about charger availability, not revenue: The change could raise some $60,000 a year, based on last year’s usage patterns, which is not even a rounding error for Massport. And he noted that state energy officials recommend that public agencies charge for charging; several already do.
Normally, by the time a proposal is ready for a board vote at Massport, it sails through to approval. Not this time.
Board member John Nucci objected, saying charging consumers for the electricity would send the wrong message.
“We’re supposed to be incentivizing electric vehicle usage,” he said. “I know it’s small dollars but I think it might be penny wise and pound foolish in the long run. . . . A lot of other airports don’t charge.”
However, another board member, Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, called Barrera’s proposal a commonsense approach. “I’m not a big proponent of just giving stuff away for free,” Evangelidis said.
In the end, acting Massport chief executive Ed Freni offered to give the staff more time to come up with data that could show requiring payments would improve usage. Board chair Patricia Jacobs agreed to the delay, adding: “I do appreciate the proposal and the intent behind it. We just want to make sure we’re incentivizing the right behavior.”
If at first you don’t succeed . . .

Ed Flynn is nothing if not persistent.
The city councilor just sent Arthur Jemison, Mayor Michelle Wu’s planning director, another note calling for a Blue Ribbon Commission to analyze what’s ailing downtown Boston and propose solutions.
At Flynn’s suggestion, the Boston City Council approved a resolution calling for this downtown task force several months ago. No movement from the Wu administration. Then Flynn sent another letter on July 2, after several office buildings were sold at deep discounts. Still, no luck.
So on July 16, Flynn made a third request. He was spurred on, he said, by business leaders who met earlier this month at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce to talk about how office traffic may never return to prepandemic levels, and the implications for downtown’s future and Boston’s property tax base.
Flynn said the empty offices hurt many small businesses downtown that depend on foot traffic every weekday. Flynn, in his latest request, also noted how he would like to see all city boards return to in-person meetings, in part to set a good tone for the private sector.
When asked about Flynn’s latest letter, a Wu administration spokesperson rattled off the efforts the administration is pursuing to make downtown Boston “a vibrant place to work and to live” including by engaging with large employers to fill vacancies. Among other things, Wu has launched tax breaks to spur office-residential conversions, and used federal dollars to help fill vacant storefronts with new tenants. Still no word on that Blue Ribbon Commission, though.
Your Chamber of Commerce CEO from Boston

Greenville Chamber of Commerce chief executive Carlos Phillips, the departing chair of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, didn’t make any of his usual jokes about Greater Boston Chamber chief executive Jim Rooney’s Boston accent last week at the ACCE annual convention in Dallas.
He didn’t need to. Rooney, who took the baton from the Greenville, S.C.-based Phillips as the new chair of the ACCE board, made sure to bring up the topic.
Rooney got a few laughs talking about sharing a beer and bowl of chowder with a colleague in Boston.
“It’s probably refreshing to you that you’re hearing something different than from South Carolina, and Oklahoma, and Alabama,” said Rooney, a reference to Phillips and other predecessors. “I’m sure someone in the audience will translate if you need it.”
Andy Freed is out of the office again
It’s that time of the year again. Time for Andy Freed’s out-of-office message.
The chief executive of Virtual Inc., a Wakefield provider of services for business associations, takes his vacation seriously — so seriously that if you email him, you’ll get a link to his latest “out-of-office” video in response. Each year, working with buddy Thomas Pimentel of TNT Ltd. Productions, Freed produces a satirical video with a vacation theme in mind. Think “Vacation is Coming,” the year he spoofed Game of Thrones, or “Back to Vacation” instead of “Back to the Future.” This year, he made a five-minute-plus video styled after political ads, entitled “Say Yes to Vacation.”
Freed and Pimentel, along with a few Virtual colleagues and Freed’s terrier Buster, throw together all the cheap campaign video cliches. Think black-and-white footage of opponents, intense symphonic music, Revolutionary War-era clothing, repeated eagle cries. Former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe makes a cameo appearance, trying to keep a straight face as he explains how he’s not going to be the backup while Freed is away.
“In a time that our nation is more divided than it ever has been, I had to come up with something that we could all unify around [and] what’s a more unifying principle in the summer than the idea of vacation?” Freed said in an interview. “We decided to break the record for eagle screeches [in a] campaign ad. That’s just a stock sound. No eagles were employed or harmed.”
Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him @jonchesto.
Massachusetts
Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January
The long-awaited hydropower line delivering electricity from Québec to New England is expected to be running in January after years of hurdles and delays, the company Hydro Québec stated.
“We have been actively testing the line and the transformers for the past several weeks and are making good progress,” a spokesperson for Hydro Québec said, adding the teams were actively working on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and “expect to be ready begin energy deliveries in January.”
The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, initiated nearly in 2017 under the Baker administration and under construction since 2021, is set to deliver 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Québec to New England over 20 years, becoming one of the largest sources of baseload power in the region.
Avangrid, the company behind the NECEC, announced in November it had secured the final permit to get the power line running after years of regulatory and legal hurdles. The company estimated the line would be running by the end of 2025 at the time.
The project to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to provide Massachusetts with approximately 20% of it overall electricity.
The clean energy line will deliver about $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts residents paying for electricity, including “reducing in ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year,” state officials said.
“This transmission line will deliver affordable, stable power from our partners in Canada to our residents and businesses,” Gov. Maura Healey said in November. “More energy means lower costs. The NECEC line is a key part of our all-of-the-above approach to lowering energy costs and delivering the power our economy needs.”
On average, officials estimated, residents can expect to save $18 to $20 a year over the contract term.
Avangrid said the project will cut carbon emissions by 3.6 million metric tons a year, “the equivalent of removing 700,000 cars from the road.” The hydropower source is expected to be “key to energy reliability in the winter” as demand grows, state officials said, and evening energy prices effected by the volatility of natural gas.
The line cleared a closing legal hurdle in January 2025 when the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities agreed to a settlement with electric utility companies, the AG’s office, energy department and Central Maine Power approving project costs.
The clean energy project updates come weeks after the Trump administration dealt a blow to wind power projects across the U.S., including the Vineyard Wind farm off the coast of Nantucket delivering energy in New England.
Massachusetts
NESN’S Tom Caron, Dave O’Brien Named 2025 NSMA Massachusetts Co-Sportscasters Of The Year
New England Sports Network (NESN) on Monday announced that Boston Red Sox broadcast leaders Tom Caron and Dave O’Brien have been named 2025 Massachusetts Co-Sportscasters of the Year by the National Sports Media Association (NSMA).
Caron and O’Brien serve as the cornerstone voices of NESN’s Red Sox coverage, leading the network’s studio and game productions, respectively. Together, they anchor NESN’s comprehensive Red Sox broadcasts, delivering in-depth analysis, trusted storytelling and championship-caliber coverage to fans across New England.
“Tom and Dave represent the gold standard of sports broadcasting,” said David Wisnia, President & CEO of NESN. “Their credibility, storytelling, and deep connection to Red Sox fans elevate every broadcast. This recognition by NSMA is a well-deserved honor and a reflection of their impact on New England sports media.”
This recognition continues NESN’s tradition of broadcast excellence, following Jack Edwards’ selection as the 2024 NSMA Massachusetts Sportscaster of the Year for his work as the play-by-play voice of the Boston Bruins.
Tom Caron joined NESN in 1995, recently celebrating 30 years with the network. For the past 24 seasons, he has been a central figure in NESN’s Red Sox coverage, serving as the network’s first baseball sideline reporter before becoming host of the Red Sox pregame and postgame shows during the club’s historic 2004 championship season. In addition to leading NESN’s Red Sox studio programming and hosting the “310 To Left” VODcast, Caron has served as studio host for Boston Bruins hockey and as play-by-play announcer for premier New England college hockey events, including the Beanpot Tournament and Hockey East Championship. A nine-time New England Emmy Award winner, Caron was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and is deeply involved in numerous charitable organizations throughout the region, including serving as Co-Chair of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund.
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Dave O’Brien has served as NESN’s primary play-by-play voice of the Red Sox since 2016, following nine years with the Red Sox Radio Network. In addition to leading NESN’s game broadcasts, O’Brien is also the lead play-by-play announcer for college football and basketball on ESPN’s ACC Network. His career includes Major League Baseball postseason broadcasts, international World Series coverage, and play-by-play roles with the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves. A Boston native, O’Brien is a recipient of multiple national and regional broadcasting honors and is widely respected as one of the sport’s premier voices.
The National Sports Media Association annually recognizes excellence in sports media across the country, honoring broadcasters who demonstrate outstanding professionalism, longevity, and impact in their markets.
About NESN
NESN is consistently one of the top-rated regional sports networks in the country with award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage, and recently named RSN of the Year by Cynopsis. NESN and NESN+ are delivered throughout the six-state New England region and are available anytime, anywhere, on any device on the NESN 360 app via direct subscription or TV authentication. The network is also distributed nationally as NESN National. NESN’s free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channel, NESN NATION, offers 35+ hours of weekly live and original programming, including exclusive sports content, interviews, and behind-the-scenes features, available on Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Roku, LG, Twitch, Plex, and TCLtv+. NESN.com is one of the country’s most visited sports websites with dedicated digital video production and always-on news coverage. NESN’s social responsibility program, NESN Connects, is proud to support and connect its employees with charitable organizations in the Greater Boston community. NESN also manages SportsNet Pittsburgh, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates for all regionally televised games in and around Pittsburgh, as well as other local sports content. NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and Delaware North (owners of the Boston Bruins).
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Massachusetts
Mass. weather: How much snow is expected across the state on Monday
All of Massachusetts is predicted to see some snowfall in the latter half of the day on Monday, with most of the state getting 1 to 2 inches of accumulation, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to dip into the teens overnight on Sunday before rising into the mid to high 20s on Monday, the weather service said. Clouds are predicted to increase throughout the day before the snow begins in the afternoon.
Berkshire County could see some light snow Sunday night and Monday morning, but heavier precipitation is expected to begin by 1 p.m. Monday, according to the weather service. Most of the rest of the state is predicted to start seeing snow between 3 and 6 p.m., first in western Massachusetts, then spreading across the state.
The snowfall is expected to stop between 10 p.m. Monday and 1 a.m. Tuesday in most of Massachusetts, according to the weather service. Much of the state may also experience patchy fog Monday night.
The northwestern half of Worcester County and most of Berkshire County is expected to get the most snow — up to 3 inches, according to the weather service. The Cape, Islands and South Coast are predicted to get less than an inch, and the rest of the state is expected to get 1 to 2 inches.
Overnight lows on Monday are predicted to drop into the low to mid 20s, according to the weather service. Temperatures on Tuesday are expected to be warmer, reaching the mid 30s to low 40s.
There is a chance of rain in most of Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon, with precipitation more likely after 4 p.m., according to the weather service. Tuesday night is predicted to be rainy across the state, though the precipitation may come down as freezing rain or snow at higher elevations.
Temperatures overnight on Tuesday are expected to dip into the high 20s and low 30s before rising into the mid 40s on Wednesday, according to the weather service. Communities in the central and western parts of the state are predicted to see the rain cease by 10 a.m., while Eastern Massachusetts can expect to experience rain until midday.
Sunny skies are predicted across the state following the rain on Wednesday, according to the weather service.
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