KELLER: Harvard says its A’s are basically participation trophies. Students cry over “soul-crushing” workloads of… an hour a day. And the fix? A+. Better idea: F-minus for wasting a world-class education chasing clout and cash.

. @gintautasd.bsky.social scours the headlines so you don’t have to.

As Wu speaks, these hats are getting handed out

Henry Santana won releection to at-large seat, holding back fmr Cllr Frank Baker, per sources

Mass. Republicans, typically the ones warning against new spending and calling for tax relief, called for the state to fund SNAP, while Democrats demurred. The same party that has championed assistance programs found itself defending fiscal restraint, while Republicans argued for state intervention.

The SNAP blame game has come to Beacon Hill #MAPoli

About 1.1 million Bay Staters could lose food benefits at the end of next week, and Gov. Maura Healey capped the week by ringing the alarm bell in the midst of a federal government shutdown that's boiling over in D.C. and reverberating across the country. #MAPoli

For Wu, despite speculation, being mayor is what’s next Plus: Marty Walsh's former chief of staff has a super PAC, Political Intel and more... #MAPoli

End of an Era via @massterlist.com morning email

After several forays into Massachusetts politics, the Working Families Party (WFP) is seeking to set up a larger shop in the Bay State, with the goal of becoming a force to be reckoned with in local elections. #MAPoli

BULLY POTPIT: Factional tensions linger at the Cannabis Control Commission. During a recent meeting led by fired-and-rehired chair Shannon O’Brien, one commissioner accused another of bullying, saying, “Don’t try to bully me into a vote.” #MAPoli

LAST CALL: Just a few tickets remain for tomorrow’s healthcare workforce development policy event at the UMass Club. Reserve your spot now. Walk-ins will not be permitted. #MAPoli

As Beacon Hill heads into October, the mood is less crisis than fragility: budgets that balance on unspent funds, test scores that reflect unfinished recovery, energy goals at risk from federal reversals and political futures hanging in the balance.

Monday at the UMass Club #MAPoli

Emails obtained through a records request provide a behind-the-scenes look at the effort to lure Hasbro to Boston, known in government circles as “Project Brainstorm.” #MAPoli

Sitting pointlessly beside the top businessman was...

Gov. Maura Healey met privately in Devens with Trump’s energy chief, Chris Wright, after a Boston solar summit.

Mass. competes not so great while competitor for highway service plazas takes the exit ramp

Clocking in at just over an hour, BPI's event on Wednesday morning is the most comprehensive overview of the different strands of the “how to revitalize Boston post-COVID” conversation - check out this coverage from @massterlist.com & @gintautasd.bsky.social: massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/eastern-ba...

A top businessman believes Boston should tear down some of its office buildings and replace them with housing, saying that initiatives supported on Beacon Hill and in Boston City Hall aren’t enough as the region remains hampered by a post-pandemic slowdown. massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/eastern-ba...

A seat at the online gambling table massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/igambling-...

Don't ask Gov. Maura Healey how she feels about efforts to redesign the Massachusetts state flag! #MAPoli

🚗 🛣🚂 Skidding into Friday In today's MASSterList: What's next for the multibillion dollar Allston megaproject Plus: Political Intel returns, with a look at Everett and an energy sector move massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/next-stop-...

EVENT: Downtown Boston’s slow post-COVID rebound and falling property values threaten the city's finances. With its tax base at risk, what are the strategies and opportunities for Boston’s business districts?

Alan Leventhal, ex-U.S. ambassador and Boston real estate mogul, is weighing a 2026 bid for governor. He’s enlisted PR help from George Regan and political strategist Doug Rubin. #MAPoli

In Winthrop, a recall fight against Councilor Max Tassinari has become a proxy war over the MBTA Communities law. Noncompliance has already cost the town $1.2M in aid. #MAPoli

With Michelle Wu’s reelection now a foregone conclusion, the undercard at-large race has moved up to become November’s prime bout, and it’s likely to be viewed by insiders as a Walsh versus Wu battle through at-large candidates. #BOSPoli massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/keller-wha...

What does a 1795 bank robbery have to do with Dean Tran's appeal in his ethics case? No, not the one in which he stole a Colt .45 from an elderly constituent, nor the one in which he was convicted of 23 felonies. We're talking about the charges Tran used his Senate staff for campaign activities.

Before Josh Kraft signed up for the Boston mayor’s race, he was known for being a nice guy doing spadework in the city's nonprofit sector. Seven months later, insiders still regard him as a nice guy, but one who isn’t built for a bare-knuckle mayoral campaign, even if his bank account is. #BOSPoli

Happy Friday folks In this morning's MASSterList, we've got a look at vaccine politics Plus! Ed Markey lands endorsements from 2 of Beacon Hill's Big 3, and the Wu-Kraft poll that has everybody talking massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/healey-vac...

Gov. Maura Healey dodged questions on whether Mass. Democrats are leaning populist, touting tax cuts, free community college, and cost-of-living efforts instead while hinting at possible 2026 reelection talking points. massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/gov-healey...

NEW: Consultants Will Keyser and Eileen O'Connor have parted ways with the Josh Kraft campaign less than a week before mayoral prelim

When Rich Davey walked through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s foyer for the last time as the agency’s NYC Transit president, the crowd that greeted him included a staffer who held up a sign that read “BOSTON SUCKS.” An addendum in smaller print followed: “Davey OK.”

The SHNS is hiring a full-time reporter to cover Massachusetts government and policy. Join our world-class team, delivering trusted coverage of Beacon Hill for more than 130 years. #MAPoli

Gov. Maura Healey is reviving a push to open state institutional records, proposing access to documents 75+ years old, including from Fernald School. The plan echoes Bill Galvin’s past efforts but applies more narrowly. #MAPoli

KELLER: Judge Frank Caprio, famed for “Caught in Providence,” was celebrated for his compassion, seeing humanity in all. As today’s politics grows harsher, his legacy raises a question: how many current leaders will be remembered the same?

A10 Associates, a top-ranked woman-owned lobbying firm with $10M revenue, abruptly closed in July. CEO Jessica Beeson Tocco cited family, health, and shifting industry trends. Client transitions are ongoing.

The marquee fight in #BOSPoli is Wu vs. Kraft, but the undercard is ex-councilor Frank Baker’s bid for an at-large comeback. Backed by unions, real estate, the Krafts, and ally Marty Walsh, Baker is viewed as a strong contender to unseat freshman Henry Santana.

Bill Galvin speaks for the trees #MAPoli 🌳 massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/state-agen...

Thanks for the @massterlist.com shout-out 🫡 www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/14/o...

Former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and ex-Mass. House majority leader Claire Cronin is joining Smith, Costello & Crawford as a consultant, adding to her global-focused role at UMass. The move deepens the firm’s strong Beacon Hill connections. #MAPoli massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/smith-cost...

“Half a loaf is better than none.” Sen. Michael Rodrigues says it’s a lesson from his father that still guides budget talks today. #mapoli🍞

Conservatives seized on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s endorsement of NYC mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a self-described “Democratic socialist,” to paint her and Democrats as pro-socialism. But polling shows most young voters and Democrats view socialism favorably. massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/hip-deep-i...

After months of keeping a low profile, Auditor Diana DiZoglio returned to the spotlight, doubling down on efforts to audit the Legislature—this time with private legal help. She's also backing 2026 ballot proposals to expand public records laws and end partisan primaries.

After overwhelmingly winning voter approval for a legislative audit, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is now backing a new initiative to bring both the Legislature and the governor’s office under the state’s notoriously opaque public records law. #MAPoli

BALLOT INITIATIVE INTRIGUE: Auditor Diana DiZoglio is signing onto 2026 ballot initiative to bring Legislature and gov's office under public records laws Former gov candidate Danielle Allen behind effort, with assist from Northwind Strategies

The battle between Boston City Hall and the Krafts plays out on two fronts: campaign politics and a stadium fight at the Everett-Charlestown line. #BosPoli

💰 JULY CITY HAUL Mayor Wu raised $247K Spent $217K Cash on hand at $2.5M Josh Kraft raised $127K Spent $1.8M Cash on hand at $148K

Market Basket’s latest power struggle is as much a PR battle as a business one. Arthur T. Demoulas is again backed by Rasky Partners, while the board has tapped Liberty Square Group via its law firm. Unlike 2014, this saga lacks a simple hero-villain storyline.

Since May, the Healey administration has stopped using a long-standing job report headline format, highlighting more favorable stats by switching between surveys. Critics call it election spin; officials say it’s about clarity and understanding. #MAPoli massterlist.beehiiv.com/p/monthly-jo...