Massachusetts news

• You can make soup

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  For those new to cooking at home, soup is a great place to start. Food writer Ruth Reichl said, “If you’ve got chicken stock, you’ve got a meal.” And it doesn’t have to be chicken stock. You can make soup with water or make your own stock from what you have on hand. Some cooks even freeze their peelings and vegetable scraps until they have enough to make a vegan soup stock.
  Unlike fussy preparations, soup is very forgiving. If you don’t have one ingredient, you can usually substitute
  
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• ‘Discovery Day’ on Nov. 3 opens Athenaeum’s first floor to the public

  23-10-2026 07:05 via Beacon Hill Times
  ‘Discovery Day,’ coming Tuesday, Nov. 3, will offer the public a rare opportunity to tour the first floor of the historic Boston Athenaeum – one of the nation’s oldest independent libraries.
  Non-members will then be allowed access to the Norma Jean Calderwood Gallery, special collections and art installations, and the library’s stunning reading rooms.
  ‘Explore Where’s Boston? 50 Years Later,’ features photographs by Constantine Manos originally commissioned for the Where’s Bost
  
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• Councilor Flynn to hold hybrid hearing to discuss city’s Rodent Action Plan on Oct. 23

  23-10-2026 07:04 via Beacon Hill Times
  City Councilor Ed Flynn will chair a hybrid City Services hearing to discuss the current status of the Boston Rodent Action Plan on Friday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. in the Iannella Chamber on the fifth floor of City Hall, as well as virtually.
  Although Councilor Flynn said he thinks positive steps have been outlined in the BRAP, he still believes the plan falls short of the recommendations made by the study’s author, renowned rodent urbanologist, Dr. Bobby Corrigan, and himself. Among their other s
  
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• BHAC approves all applications with some provisos at Oct. 15 hearing

  23-10-2026 07:03 via Beacon Hill Times
  The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission (BHAC), at its monthly hearing Oct. 15, approved more than seven proposed exterior changes to buildings amid lively discussion about historical preservation in the modern day.
  While some residing in the Beacon Hill community were requesting paint color change, others looked to restore historical accuracy to the buildings. All the applications heard by the commission were approved, although some passed pending provisions for resubmissions and subsequent ap
  
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• BHCA Community Corner 10-23

  23-10-2026 07:02 via Beacon Hill Times
  Block Captains
  Our new team of over 40 Block Captains has been out and about cleaning up litter and dog waste on Beacon Hill streets. You’ll recognize them with their fluorescent BHCA vests. These volunteers are looking for other neighbors to join the effort, so reach out to the BHCA if you’d like to know who is in charge of your street to connect with them! Block Captains are helping us keep Beacon Hill clean by picking up trash and litter and reporting missing bricks to 311. Let us know if
  
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• Massachusetts Office of the Veteran Advocate releases first five-year strategic plan

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Special to the TimesThe Massachusetts Office of the Veteran Advocate (OVA) announced the release of its first five-year Strategic Plan, establishing a roadmap to guide the independent state agency’s work from Fiscal Year 2027 through Fiscal Year 2031.
  The plan identifies five strategic priorities focused on strengthening the OVA’s capacity, improving access to veterans’ benefits and services, examining housing and employment opportunities, and building trust and collaboration among organiz
  
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• Making a Home on the Hill

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Not long ago, Bridget Weir stood in her Anderson Street apartment and took inventory. “I was just looking around and I’m like, that’s from that store, this is from that store,” she says, then laughs. “How did I get all this stuff?”
  The answer is a one-minute walk away. For three years, Bridget has worked the floor at J. Grady Home (“Grady”), the bright, color-soaked shop at 133 Charles Street run by husband and wife Joan and Jeff Grady. It is filled to the brim with the things th
  
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• Healey-Driscoll Administration launches new workforce training opportunities

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the opening of applications for expanded Pathmaker workforce training programs across advanced manufacturing, AI, defense, climatetech and life sciences. The coordinated initiative will help Massachusetts businesses build skilled talent pipelines while connecting residents with career opportunities in some of the state’s fastest-growing industries.
  “We want Massachusetts businesses to have access to the incredible workforce our state has to
  
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• Executive Director of the Boston Public Art Triennial Kate Gilbert guest speaker at BHWF

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Public art champion, Kate Gilbert, first became aware that art has the potential to spark dialogue during a drive with her parents to a Hamden, Connecticut, supermarket in the late 1970s. She remembers her father expressing his displeasure upon seeing what he felt had been beautiful cars covered in asphalt in the parking lot; while her mother defended the art installation as a comment on the environment. Then eight-years-old, Gilbert was simply happy to climb the structures.
  “It stopped us in
  
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• Details unveiled for proposed 31 St. James Ave. redevelopment project

  23-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Details of a proposed office-to-residential redevelopment project that would transform an 11-story, block-long building at 31 St. James Ave. in the Back Bay into 476 residential units were discussed during a city-sponsored meeting held virtually on Oct. 14.
  The Vanbarton Group, a New York-based real estate firm that specializes in office-to-residential redevelopment projects, intends to convert the building into housing while maintaining 12,000 square feet of existing ground-floor restaurant spa
  
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• Flynn to hold hybrid hearing to discuss city’s Rodent Action Plan

  22-10-2026 16:13 via Beacon Hill Times
  City Councilor Ed Flynn will chair a hybrid City Services hearing to discuss the current status of the Boston Rodent Action Plan on Friday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. in the Iannella Chamber on the fifth floor of City Hall, as well as virtually.Although Councilor Flynn said he thinks positive steps have been outlined in the BRAP, he still believes the plan falls short of the recommendations made by the study’s author, renowned rodent urbanologist, Dr. Bobby Corrigan, and himself. Among their other su
  
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• Tom Kershaw to receive first-ever Entrepreneurship Award from Scouting America Greater Boston

  16-10-2026 07:06 via Beacon Hill Times
  Scouting America Greater Boston will present the first-ever Kershaw Award for Entrepreneurship to Tom Kershaw, owner of Boston’s historic Hampshire House and an Eagle Scout, during its annual STEM Innovation & Education Forum on October 22. The event will also feature Nobel Laureate Dr. Gary Ruvkun and leading Boston surgeon Dr. Carl Harper, both Distinguished Eagle Scouts, discussing the future of science, technology and innovation in medicine.
  The inaugural Kershaw Award for Entrepre
  
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• Park Street School holds Block Party community event

  16-10-2026 07:05 via Beacon Hill Times
  Over 300 students and their families, staff, faculty, and neighbors gathered on Chestnut Street for the Park Street School’s (PSS) Block Party on October 3. Families enjoyed Blue Ribbon BBQ for lunch, and fall treats from Wilson Farms, as well as an afternoon of arts and crafts, such as making jewelry and painting faux stained-glass leaves.
  “It was a great day all around,” said Head of School Tracy Bradley. “There was so much joy – a perfect New England Day, our PSS
  
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• Moore Support offers concierge personal assistance to residents

  16-10-2026 07:04 via Beacon Hill Times
  Homeowners, busy professionals, frequent travelers, and other residents of Beacon Hill, Back Bay, and the South End who might need a little help managing their day-to-day responsibilities can now turn to Moore Support for personalized assistance.
  Rebecca Moore, a Back Bay resident, launched her one-woman concierge company in June, offering support services in those three Boston neighborhoods.
  “Our mission is to deliver reliable, trustworthy, and detail-oriented service that gives clients p
  
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• BHCA Community Corner 10-16-2026

  16-10-2026 07:02 via Beacon Hill Times
  Block Captains
  Our new team of over 40 Block Captains has been out and about cleaning up litter and dog waste on Beacon Hill streets. You’ll recognize them with their fluorescent BHCA vests. These volunteers are looking for other neighbors to join the effort, so reach out to the BHCA if you’d like to know who is in charge of your street to connect with them! Block Captains are helping us keep Beacon Hill clean by picking up trash and litter and reporting missing bricks to 311. Let us
  
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• Two more reasons to get a flu shot

  16-10-2026 07:01 via Beacon Hill Times
  ‘Tis the season for respiratory illnesses — the flu, COVID, and RSV — for which vaccinations offer the best line of defense for the vast majority of individuals.
  In addition to the protections that vaccines provide for these diseases, studies have shown that there are two other significant benefits from receiving a flu shot.
  A recent study has indicated that for older Americans, there is a strong correlation between flu vaccinations and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer&rsqu
  
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• Trinity Church Boston welcomes pets for annual Blessing of the Animals

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Trinity Church Boston welcomed nearly 100 people and dozens of their furry companions on Sunday, October 4 for the annual special service, Blessing of the Animals, to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
  The beloved tradition brought members of the congregation and the Greater Boston community to the church’s West Porch facing Copley Square, for blessings and prayers for the welfare of all creatures, big and small, that are all a part of God’
  
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• Rachael Rudel Best In Class at the 50th Boston 10K for Women

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Well on her way to a dominant victory in her debut at the Boston 10K for Women, Rachael Rudel made the turn off Memorial Drive onto the Harvard Bridge and broke into a smile as bright as the sunny, 50-degree autumn day.
  There, Rudel suddenly found herself face-to-face with many of the nearly 7,000 women behind her, cheering wildly on the out-and-back across the Charles River for the breakout athlete about to win the race’s historic 50th running.
  “It’s a slap in the face of joy,
  
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• Over $800,000 raised in support of older adults at Rogerson Annual Gala

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Rogerson Communities raised $809,350 at its annual Welcome Home Gala in support of its mission: providing older adults with affordable, quality homes and compassionate care. More than $300,000 of the total was generated from the live auction and paddle raise, marking the most successful single evening of fundraising in the organization’s 166-year history.
  The evening was also a celebration of John L. Hall II, storied Boston real estate developer, who was recognized with the Charles E. Roge
  
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• ‘Building Bridges & Big Ideas’ with Miguel Rosales coming Oct. 17 to MoS

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  ‘Building Bridges & Big Ideas’ – a day of architecture, engineering, conversation, and hands-on discovery with venerable bridge designer and longtime Beacon Hill resident, Miguel Rosales – kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, in the newly completed William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common at the Museum of Science.
  Throughout the day, visitors will explore the connections between architecture, engineering, creativity, and the built environment thro
  
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• ‘Building Bridges & Big Ideas’ with Miguel Rosales coming Oct. 17 to MoS

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  ‘Building Bridges & Big Ideas’ – a day of architecture, engineering, conversation, and hands-on discovery with venerable bridge designer and longtime Beacon Hill resident, Miguel Rosales – kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, in the newly completed William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common at the Museum of Science.
  Throughout the day, visitors will explore the connections between architecture, engineering, creativity, and the built environment through conversation
  
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• Boston celebrates EMT graduates and recent promotions

  16-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  Mayor Michelle Wu joined Boston Emergency Medical Services (Boston EMS) and Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) at historic Faneuil Hall to celebrate the graduation of 20 new EMTs and the promotion of 12 Boston EMS members to new roles within the department. The graduates successfully completed the Boston EMS Recruit Academy, an intensive training program that prepares recruits to deliver high-quality prehospital care across the city. The new class strengthens Boston EMS’s ability to me
  
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• Upstairs Downstairs hosts ‘An American Portrait’ fundraising event

  09-10-2026 07:05 via Beacon Hill Times
  The antique and collectibles store Upstairs Downstairs on Charles Street hosted an art exhibition fundraiser to benefit Home Base, a locally headquartered veteran and family care healthcare services organization. The store was at capacity, with locally catered hors d’oeuvres and beverages and donated art for sale, as well as an opportunity to learn more about Home Base.
  The beautifully framed art was donated by the artists and centered around Beacon Hill sites and historical homes, one of
  
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• Harbor Towers cuts ribbon on $20M flood-barrier project

  09-10-2026 07:04 via Beacon Hill Times
  Mayor Michelle Wu joined residents of Harbor Towers Condominiums on Wednesday by cutting the ribbon on the downtown waterfront property’s $20 million flood-resistance project that includes deployable barriers.
  The ribbon-cutting was part of Deployables Day, a citywide gathering that highlights publicly and privately owned deployable flood barriers.
  In recent years, the high-rise condominiums have experienced their share of damage because of flooding and severe storms. In 2018, floodwaters
  
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• Make the most of the long weekend

  09-10-2026 07:02 via Beacon Hill Times
  The arrival of the long holiday weekend means that the fall season is squarely upon us, the time of year that has special meaning for all of us in New England.
  With the weatherman (as of this writing) forecasting a near-perfect weekend weather-wise, we urge as many of our readers as possible to partake of the simple pleasure of getting outdoors to enjoy the crisp, clean air and the autumn colors before the colder temperatures arrive.
  A nice hike, whether along the shore of the Cape, or in the Be
  
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• What a 32-hour workweek means to Boston residents

  09-10-2026 07:01 via Beacon Hill Times
  Boston residents seem enthusiastic about the idea of a national 32-hour workweek reintroduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Mark Takano of California, but expressed concern about how it would be implemented.
  Residents from Fenway, downtown and Jamaica Plain interviewed cited more opportunities for income, a better work-life balance and less stress as reasons for supporting the proposed bill. But they expressed skepticism about the economic impact it would have on supporting their fa
  
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• WLP’s annual Spaghetti Dinner returns Oct. 29 to Fairmont Copley Plaza

  09-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  WLP’s annual Spaghetti Dinner returns Oct. 29 to Fairmont Copley Plaza
  The Women’s Lunch Place’s annual Spaghetti Dinner takes place on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel.
  WLP Advocate Bonnie Zamparelli will be the event’s featured speaker.
  Visit https://womenslunchplace.org/event/sponsors?utm_source=Women to purchase tickets or for more information on the event.
  Beacon Hill Baptist Church meets every Sunday
  Beacon Hill Baptist Church, which i
  
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• Moonlight Gala on the Esplanade

  09-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  The Esplanade Association celebrated its 25th anniversary on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 3, with its annual Moonlight Gala.
  At this year’s gala, Alexi Conine, who joined the EA board in 2016 and has served as its chair since 2017, was awarded the Serena Hatch Impact Award.
  Bob Doran, one of the greatest champions of EA’s Charlesbank project who died last fall, posthumously received the Charles Eliot Vision Award, alongside Wellington Management, the company he co-founded.
  This year
  
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• Moondance Gala on the Esplanade

  09-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  The Esplanade Association celebrated its 25th anniversary on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 3, with its annual Moondance Gala.At this year’s gala, Alexi Conine, who joined the EA board in 2016 and has served as its chair since 2017, was awarded the Serena Hatch Impact Award.
  Bob Doran, one of the greatest champions of EA’s Charlesbank project who died last fall, posthumously received the Charles Eliot Vision Award, alongside Wellington Management, the company he co-founded.
  This year&
  
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• MBTA continues to successfully advance Green Line modernization investments, makes significant improvements in Green Line reliability

  09-10-2026 07:00 via Beacon Hill Times
  The MBTA announced the successful advancement of work on the Green Line, including critical work to replace and upgrade the 120-year-old signal system within the central tunnel and much more.
  “The latest phase of work to replace our 120+-year-old signal system within the central Green Line tunnel is critical to building the modernized transit system that our riders deserve and can count on. Know that we maximized productivity by continuing to upgrade tracks, stations, and other essential c
  
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