Author: Linda Barr

  • Commonwealth Could Be National Leader in Renewables

    Commonwealth Could Be National Leader in Renewables

    The Massachusetts House and Senate have passed energy bills that dictate the percentage of renewable energy in which the Commonwealth will invest by raising the Renewable Portfolio Standard. That’s the percentage of electricity that utilities have to get from renewable sources. The House wants to raise the RPS to two percent a year, starting in…

  • Mass. AG to Sessions: Stop Draconian Border Policy

    A coalition of state attorneys general, including Maura Healy in Massachusetts, sent a letter on Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, demanding that the administration immediately stop putting children in danger by separating them from their families on the nation’s southern border. Healy said the policy not only is inhumane, but also raises serious…

  • Poor People’s Campaign Has Champion in Warren

    BOSTON – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., held a hearing at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon that focused on issues raised by the Poor People’s Campaign, including economic inequality, union rights and voter suppression. Massachusetts is one of 35 states where protesters have engaged for five weeks in civil disobedience, joining events to demand paid-leave…

  • Vets Do Better in Mass., NH, Maine Than Most Other States

    While Memorial Day was a day to honor military veterans, barbecue, shop for sales, or maybe take a motorcycle ride, some vets are having a hard time making ends meet while others in New England states are doing much better. According to a new report by Wallethub, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts rank more favorably…

  • Farmers Condemn Merger of Monsanto with Bayer

    The German pharmaceutical and chemical company, Bayer, is known for aspirin, but it is also a key manufacturer of seeds and pesticides. Now it is about to sweep up Monsanto, the U.S.-based agricultural giant. This impacts New England farmers who depend on vegetable seeds. According to Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union, the…

  • Bill Aims to Protect Hungry Kids From Being Shamed Over School Lunch Debt

    A cold sandwich is what students may get instead of the hot lunch they wanted at some Massachusetts public schools. They often are humiliated, sometimes to tears, when denied their lunch, and some are even confronted about their parents’ debt by cafeteria workers. State Sen. Cynthia Creem, D-Newton, and Rep. Andres Vargas, D-Haverhill, have filed…