IndyMass: August 14, 2025

A roundup of recent articles from the Massachusetts independent press


Read on for some of the best recent articles by local independent news outlets around the Bay State (my 40th installment already, my how time flies)!

ARTS
Lexington’s new outdoor murals honor its history and diversity
The Lexington Observer
So glad the subject matter of these works gets past 1775.

ELECTIONS
Guide to the Sept. 2 preliminary election
Worcester Sucks and I Love it
Now that’s an election guide! Come for the information, stay for the mirth.

ENVIRONMENT
Unexplained delays continue to hold up PCB cancer study
The Berkshire Argus
Kudos to Bill Shein for continuing to hammer away at the decades-long GE-caused ecological catastrophe in Western Mass.

Coexisting With Nature: Coyotes in Burlington
Burlington Buzz
I feel like we can’t have enough coyote safety pieces.

Rec & Parks says it will post new signage at Riverhead after Health Board members raise questions
Marblehead Current
Seems like a fine idea to let the public know a beach isn’t safe for swimming because no one tests it for contamination.

GAZA
Protestors target Capital One’s ties to Israeli arms manufacturer
The Flipside (Boston)
Imagine if major Massachusetts media produced such in-depth coverage of a significant protest movement on the regular?

LABOR
As wage theft hounds western Mass workers, some fight back
The Shoestring (Western Mass.)
A useful piece on a pernicious problem using research from some Smith College data journalism students.

In contract negotiations, coffeeshop unions build on and set industry standards
Cambridge Day
Baristas of (this part of) the world continue to unite.

POLICE
Rowley selectmen issue statement on unsuccessful negotiations with Ziev
The Local News (Ipswich)
Cops versus pols! Who will emerge victorious?!


IndyMass is produced for HorizonMass, the independent, student-driven, news outlet of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, by Jason Pramas and is syndicated by BINJ’s MassWire news service. Copyright 2025 Jason Pramas.

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