The state will rebid family shelter contracts to about 3,200 units even as occupancy hovers near 50%, a move that has lawmakers and providers sparring over access and cost.

A divided Cambridge City Council approved a $400,000 settlement with retired Lt. Thomas Ahern tied to a 2019 P320 discharge. The decision settles claims of retaliation and renews scrutiny of police equipment and transparency.

A film about Lowell’s mill workers was pulled from the park theater, prompting local letters and joining a national legal fight over how parks present history.

Brookline’s home‑rule petition to authorize local rent caps advanced to the Massachusetts Senate; a vote is scheduled for April 8, 2026. The draft ties allowable hikes to CPI plus 3% with exemptions for new builds and owner‑occupied homes.

Eneida Tavares quietly left the commissioner role while Boston's elections office remains under state receivership; the city has posted a job and named an acting chief.

A House committee has asked Massachusetts for MassHealth records as part of a 10‑state Medicaid probe. The letters set a March 17 deadline and cite recent local prosecutions.

Boston councilors signaled plans to ban kratom sales after an emotional hearing where family members and experts warned the product is dangerous and unregulated.

Towns and a Duxbury lawmaker want a periodic review of shorebird guidelines after rising piping plover counts forced closures and limited oversand access.

Senate Democrats unveiled the FCPA Reinforcement Act, which would extend the statute of limitations for foreign‑bribery prosecutions from five to 10 years for an eight‑year period. The proposal follows a 2025 DOJ pause and new guidance on enforcement priorities.

Town officials warn a bill to end license nonrenewal for unpaid fines could shrink excise collections and force property-tax increases as Beacon Hill debates trade-offs.

Postmaster General David Steiner warns the Postal Service could exhaust operating cash within a year without congressional relief. Lawmakers face choices on borrowing limits, pricing and pensions.

Timothy V. Cohoon was sworn in as Newton’s police chief this week. Ceremony photos posted by the department show honor guards and a pipes-and-drums performance.

Auditor Diana DiZoglio and transparency advocates urged a State House committee to subject the governor’s office and Legislature to the state's public records law.