Lawmakers approved a hot‑work safety bill that creates a public violations database, raises training standards and increases penalties after the 2014 Back Bay blaze.

A 39-year-old Arlington man was arrested after students reported he exposed himself near Arlington High on June 12. Police say investigators later identified the vehicle and its owner.

A tornado warning briefly covered parts of central Massachusetts Thursday as the NWS tracked a storm near Paxton; watches remained in effect across the region.

A former Emmanuel College admissions director was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after prosecutors said he solicited an underage applicant and cyberstalked students.

Federal prosecutors charged 15 people in Boston in a sweep alleging $1.4M stolen from SNAP, MassHealth and Social Security. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley will brief reporters this morning.

Trillium has opened a downtown outdoor beer garden at Winthrop Center Park, pouring flagship IPAs alongside Neapolitan pizza and weekly events through October.

Cambridge Health Alliance will reopen its Birth Center on July 6 with midwifery‑led deliveries, water‑birth tubs and a 19‑doula multilingual team.

State officials released final recommendations that would pair MassCore coursework with state‑designed end‑of‑course tests, capstones and a phased roll‑out aimed at restoring a statewide graduation standard.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely this afternoon with gusts near 40 mph and gale warnings for coastal waters. Expect blustery conditions during the evening commute.

A WalkMassachusetts report found 76 pedestrians died in 2025, with older adults and Environmental Justice neighborhoods disproportionately affected. The group urges speed‑calming and policy changes.

Mostly sunny and comfortable today with a high near 76°F. Minor splashover possible at tonight's high tide; gusty showers expected Thursday, June 18, 2026.

After an official MBTA compliance determination, Hanson filed four Community One Stop grant applications totaling about $1.4M for downtown work and the former hospital site.

Authorities are investigating a drowning at a Mashpee pond on Cape Cod; officials have released few public details as the probe continues.