By Ben Forman Last Friday was one of those gorgeous spring days meant for venturing out. Instead of following my normal routine (getting on the T and riding east), I got into the car and drove west on the turnpike to the historic city of Holyoke. The visitor’s center at Heritage State Park was full
The ‘comment’ game, part 2
As of Monday afternoon, 90 comments had been posted on Boston.com about the Boston Globe’s story about Don Chiofaro’s clash with Mayor Thomas Menino, and they seemed split fairly evenly between opponents of the controversial developer and opponents of the mayor. As I reported last week, Chiofaro’s opponents knew the Globe story was coming and
CW’s Alison Lobron on WBUR
CommonWealth magazine Associate Editor Alison Lobron appeared on WBUR’s Radio Boston on Friday to talk about the recent water crisis and upcoming race for governor. Listen here.
College for sale?
Friday, May 7, 2010 By Ben Forman and Samantha Vidal MassINC’s recent report, Planning for College: A Consumer Approach to the Higher Education Marketplace, described the challenges families face getting the most from their investment in a college degree and argued for more transparency and consumer protection. This week Frontline took a critical look at
Salem mayor says health care impasse may require ballot solution
Thursday, May 6, 2010 By Gabrielle Gurley Unless more immediate steps are taken to rein in accelerating health care and pension costs, municipal officials will continue to triage community services to pay for employee benefits, local municipal leaders and policymakers warned a Boston Foundation forum audience Wednesday. Mayor Kimberley Driscoll of Salem said cities and
Playing the ‘comment’ game
1 Thursday, May 6, 2010 The reader comments at the end of online newspaper stories are apparently becoming a battle ground in the fight over a proposed high-rise tower along the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. Tom Palmer, a former Boston Globe development reporter who now does public affairs consulting for Harbor Towers residents opposed to
Newspaper endorsements still matter
I’ve been on the “ed board” circuit lately—tromping around the state and attending meetings with newspaper editorial boards. The goal is for my clients to wow the opinion-makers with their acumen and insight, and win an endorsement for their candidacy or cause. Some may ask, in this era of declining newspaper readership, if the effort
CommonWealth Investigation Results in Major T Repair Project
Last week, it was widely reported that the MBTA is to invest nearly $100 million to repair crumbling concrete railroad ties on its Plymouth and Middleborough commuter lines. The news followed on the heels of a CommonWealth report on the MBTA decision and close to a year after the magazine was the first to bring the
MassINC at the GOP Convention
Monday, May 3, 2010 By Christina Prignano MassINC staffers were out in full force last month at the Republican Nominating Convention, held at the DCU Center in Worcester where we collected business cards and handed out issues of CommonWealth magazine. We spent the morning speaking to candidates and delegates from across the state about how
Young nonprofit leaders to make meaningful connections at civic engagement networking event
Boston, MA – On April 29th, four of Boston’s civic-minded groups are bringing their communities together – and welcoming others – in an effort to share their work and increase their collective impact at the first social networking event at Ned Devine’s Tavern in Faneuil Hall. Geared toward members in their 20’s and 30’s, this