There is at least one billionaire living in 47 states in the country and 54 of them are now worth $1.6 trillion — with a t — up by $100 billion compared to last year, according to Forbes.

In Massachusetts, the richest person is Abigail Johnson, the chairman and CEO of Fidelity Investments, who has an estimated net worth of $29 billion, Forbes reported.

Johnson, a Milton resident, has served as CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014, when she took over for her father. She has been chairman of the company since 2016. It’s estimated she owns a 28.5% stake in the firm, which manages discretionary assets amounting to $4.5 trillion, Forbes said.

FOXBORO – Thousands of cyclists completed their ride in the 45th annual Pan-Mass Challenge Sunday, enduring brutal heat and pouring rain to raise money for cancer research at Dana Farber.

Honoring lives impacted by cancer

“Today’s just the single best day of the year,” said cancer survivor Stacey Valhouli.

Cyclists hit the pavement on day two of the Pan-Mass Challenge, an act of love for those impacted by cancer. Cyclist Allison Wang rode for her father, who passed away from cancer.

“It’s kind of like I’m biking with him again,” said Wang. “It was my dad’s dream to ride the PMC and he passed away in 2022 of cancer, so I decided to ride it in his honor.”

Wang joined cyclists from all over the world on day two, riding from Sturbridge to Provincetown, all to support cancer research. Every dollar raised goes to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. That’s where Ruby Cohen-Weinberg was treated and she’s now a living proof rider.

“It’s amazing. The cancer that I had is the most common type of brain cancer in pediatrics and so doctors knew exactly what to do,” said Cohen-Weinberg. “But that’s not the case for a lot of kids and people, so they need to keep researching.”

Raised $1 billion since 1980

The PMC raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country. Since 1980, the PMC has raised $1 billioin.

“We’ve all had family members and friends that have died from cancer,” said Valhouli, who had a team raise $250,000 in her honor this year. “And I think that for those of us lucky enough to survive and for those of us that have all been impacted, what else would we do today?”

Among the riders this year was WBZ-TV’s Lisa Hughes, who rode in her 14th PMC. 

“My favorite part is riding with my friends, three of whom are breast cancer survivors,” said Hughes. “It’s so life-affirming and it feels so good to be part of something that is so positive.”

WBZ-TV is the official media partner of the Pan Mass Challenge.

Some like it hot, but nobody likes a high bill.

While New England utility customers are accustomed to high winter heating costs, high cooling costs in the summer are becoming more common as the hottest months of the year seem to begin earlier and linger longer.

“For electricity, I’d say I average about $200 a month right now,” Christian Cullen told Boston 25 News as he walked through the Boston Common amid this weekend’s hot temperatures. “It’s pretty solid in the Spring and Fall, but Winter and Summer are where you really see your extremes.”

The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) predicts the summertime extremes will continue to drive energy bills in the Northeast higher in the years ahead.

“Families think about June, July, and August,” says Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of NEADA. “But the cooling season is getting longer in New England, maybe through September… So the cost of summer cooling is becoming a more important part of the family’s budget than ever before.”

NEADA is urging Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and 26 other states to adopt laws that would prohibit utilities from shutting off power during the hottest months of the year if a customer is behind on their bill.

New England states already have similar regulations in place for the winter months.

“These periods of extreme heat are relatively new,” Wolfe says. “In the past, Massachusetts might have a day or two of extreme heat, but not a week. So what we’re saying to states… is to think through how you set the rules to help protect families during periods when temperatures are really high.”

NEADA is also pushing for additional funding at the state and federal levels to help offset energy costs for income-qualified families. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, is one such program.

But Wolfe says more is needed. Last week, his organization sent a letter to FEMA asking for extreme heat events to be declared major disasters. Doing so would free up federal funds for affected regions, just like after hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and wildfires. Wolfe says those funds could be used to offset energy costs.

“FEMA has an important role to play to help lower-income and middle-income families get through these difficult periods,” Wolfe says. “These are not one-offs. This is the long-term.”

A spokesperson for Eversource says energy usage increases by about 40% during the summer months as air conditioners and fans work overtime to keep homes cool.  As of August 1, Eversource has adjusted its basic service rate. The utility says customers should see both savings and more stable bills between the summer and winter months as a result.

For customers looking for more immediate savings, National Grid suggests starting with your thermostat. By raising your air conditioner’s temperature from 75° to 78°, the utility says customers can save around 18% on their bill.

Additional savings can be achieved by changing out dirty air filters, keeping blinds and curtains closed during the day, and limiting the use of heat-generating appliances, such as a stove top or oven.

Most utilities also offer budget payment plans, which can provide customers with a stable and predictable monthly payment for up to a year, taking some of the surprise out of those high summer and winter bills.

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