government Archives

Massachusetts Spent A Record Amount Of Its Opioid Settlement Funds Last Year. But On What?

Examining the unpublished FY25 remediation fund report obtained for this article, including spending on services and equity grants, and millions of dollars unaccounted for

JONATHAN GERHARDSON November 5, 2025

Opinion: More Radioactive Waste With Nowhere To Go

The experimental technology promoted by the governor, the nuclear industry, and some academic institutions is still on the drawing board and has no proven cost parameters

CAPE DOWNWINDERS November 5, 2025

Gun Violence Prevention Grant Puts Opioid Settlement Funds Back In Communities

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office is spending its settlement funds from the consulting giant McKinsey on nonprofits working on gun violence prevention, urban farming, and food access

JACOB SCHLES November 2, 2025

A Somerville for Palestine rally outside Somerville City Hall in favor of Question 3 before an Elections Committee hearing on Oct. Photo courtesy of the Somerville Ballot Question for Palestine Committee.

Late Legal Challenge To Somerville’s Question 3 Remains Unresolved With Early Voting About To Start

After the Somerville Elections Commission rejected an opposition group’s challenge in that venue, the group took its fight to kill the question to a Woburn court

JACOB SCHLES October 27, 2025

Massachusetts Government To Procure A Chat-Based AI Assistant

Concerns raised about automating tasks with unproven technology

ZOE BEKETOVA October 27, 2025

Hard Lessons From The Failed Campaign To Regulate Psychedelics In Massachusetts

Under-trained staff and mixed messaging: Why Massachusetts’ historic psychedelics bill collapsed

NOAH DALY AND JACK GORSLINE October 16, 2025

Someone walks past anti-ICE signage by Somerville Avenue in Somerville, MA, Oct. 5, 2025. Photo by Christopher Morris. Copyright 2025 Christopher Morris.

Immigrants Hesitate To Access Social Services In Somerville

“There is no space for silence”

C. SCOTT MORRIS October 16, 2025

Proposed BPS Exam School Admissions Changes Would Affect Minority And Low-Income Students

Among other adjustments, Boston would see one-fifth of seats reserved for the highest-scoring students citywide, regardless of family income level

JORDAN DELFIUGO October 14, 2025

New Reporting On Massachusetts Opioid Settlement Funds

Features by Jacob Schles and Chris Faraone are supported by the Data-Driven Reporting Project (DDRP) at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism

BOSTON INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT JOURNALISM October 8, 2025

No Opioid Settlement Funds Going To Massachusetts Prisons

The commonwealth will receive more than a billion dollars for opioid remediation—none of it is for the state’s most vulnerable drug-dependent population

CHRIS FARAONE October 7, 2025