Friday, June 4, 2021 View web version
Today's Headlines
Page one

Health

Disease trackers are hopeful for a return to normal as COVID restrictions fade, but ‘things can change on a dime’

A few weeks ago, some feared that Governor Charlie Baker was lifting COVID-19 restrictions too soon. But now disease trackers say that Massachusetts appears to be in a good position to hold the deadly coronavirus at bay — and for most fully vaccinated people to return to their normal lives. Continue reading →

Metro

SJC committee urges law firms to reopen with flexible work hours

The move follows an announcement that Ropes & Gray, one of the nation’s top law firms, will embrace a hybrid schedule post-pandemic and doesn’t intend to ask lawyers to appear in the office again five days a week — ever. Continue reading →

Business

Nantucket roiled by debate over short-term rentals

Proposed rules limiting the use of Airbnb and similar platforms will be put to a vote on Saturday. Continue reading →

Obituaries

F. Lee Bailey, controversial defense lawyer in high-profile trials, dies at 87

A Waltham native and Boston University Law School graduate, Mr. Bailey was for decades the model of the modern gun-for-hire criminal defender, a brilliant, pugnacious counselor whose courthouse presence all but guaranteed legal fireworks. Continue reading →

THE GREAT DIVIDE

Legislative bills take aim at school segregation in Mass.

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering several bills this session aimed at promoting racially integrated schools, including a bill that proposes labeling each district and school among one of three categories: diverse, segregated, or intensely segregated. Continue reading →

The Nation

Nation

Biden offers tax concession in infrastructure talks with key Republican

President Biden signaled at a private meeting on Wednesday that he would be open to significant revisions on the size of his infrastructure package and how it would be paid for in order to win Republican backing, outlining a plan for about $1 trillion in new spending financed through tax changes that do not appear to raise the top corporate rate. Continue reading →

Nation

FBI investigating Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in connection with his political fund-raising

The FBI is investigating Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in connection with campaign fund-raising activity involving his former business, according to people familiar with the matter and a spokesman for DeJoy. Continue reading →

Nation

Group of Republicans seeks to lower Pride flag at embassies

More congressional Republicans are backing legislation that would ban Pride flags from US embassies after the flag was flown at some American outposts during the first week of LGBT Pride Month. Continue reading →

The World

World

Alarm in Africa as virus surges, vaccine shipments grind to ‘near halt’

South Africa alone saw a more than 60 percent rise in new cases last week as the country with the highest coronavirus caseload in Africa continued to face delays in its effort to roll out the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Continue reading →

World

White House outlines plan to distribute 25 million doses around the world

The White House, besieged with requests from other nations to share excess doses of coronavirus vaccine, on Thursday announced it will distribute an initial 25 million doses this month across a “wide range of countries” within Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa, as well as the Palestinian territories, the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. Continue reading →

World

Fivefold surge in migrants en route to US overwhelms Panama

Panama is struggling to cope with a five-fold increase in migrants who trek for days through its dense southern jungle in the hope of reaching the United States, according to the country’s top diplomat. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

EDITORIAL

Coffee, beer, doughnuts: How to coax busy Americans into getting a COVID-19 shot

States are right to get creative in enticing holdouts to get their COVID-19 vaccines. Continue reading →

OPINION

Losing battles with the language

I‘m having trouble accepting the corruptions of English, which seem to get more numerous and hideous with every sunrise. Continue reading →

OPINION

Taking my husband’s name is a feminist act

The core of feminism is the idea that women ought to have agency over their own lives and make their own decisions based on what is right for them. My name, my choice. Continue reading →

Metro

Metro

SJC committee urges law firms to reopen with flexible work hours

The move follows an announcement that Ropes & Gray, one of the nation’s top law firms, will embrace a hybrid schedule post-pandemic and doesn’t intend to ask lawyers to appear in the office again five days a week — ever. Continue reading →

Politics

First superPAC weighs in with ads in mayoral race

Independent expenditure committees, which were hugely influential in the last open mayor's race, in 2013, are expected to try to boost many of the mayoral candidates. Continue reading →

Crime & Courts

Investigators name ‘person of interest’ in Molly Bish case

Francis “Frank” P. Sumner Sr. is being investigated after authorities recently received new information in the case, the office of Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a statement. Continue reading →

Sports

kevin paul dupont | on hockey

Mark Scheifele incident is more evidence that NHL has to get tougher on dirty hits

Scheifele was suspended four games by the NHL. Continue reading →

bruins notebook

Bruins could use Kevan Miller’s toughness in this series against Islanders

The gritty defenseman has not been seen since getting clobbered by Washington's Dmitry Orlov in Game 4 of the first round. Continue reading →

Chad Finn

Many Celtics fans wanted drastic changes. Now we’ll see how that works out

After a disappointing season, there was plenty of clamor for change. But few, if any, expected Brad Stevens to replace Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations. Continue reading →

Business

Business

Nantucket roiled by debate over short-term rentals

Proposed rules limiting the use of Airbnb and similar platforms will be put to a vote on Saturday. Continue reading →

Business

State officials, business leaders launch a new ‘hub’ to promote financial-tech startups

The initiative that’s being dubbed the “Mass. Fintech Hub” has been in the works for more than a year, as civic leaders home in on another big sector to foster in Massachusetts, following life sciences and digital health. Continue reading →

Business

Massive project would dramatically change the streets around Fenway Park

A business group led by the Red Sox has filed plans with the city that offer more details on a proposed 2.1-million-square-foot development. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Obituaries

F. Lee Bailey, controversial defense lawyer in high-profile trials, dies at 87

A Waltham native and Boston University Law School graduate, Mr. Bailey was for decades the model of the modern gun-for-hire criminal defender, a brilliant, pugnacious counselor whose courthouse presence all but guaranteed legal fireworks. Continue reading →

Arts & Lifestyle

PHOTOGRAPHY REVIEW

The Griffin Museum shows ‘Spirit’

An exhibition offers wide-ranging work from 10 Indigenous photographers. Continue reading →

Music

This radio host plays the same old song, again and again and . . .

WMBR’s Patrick Bryant fills two hours with cover versions of one tune, straddling the line between pleasure and pain. Continue reading →

TELEVISION REVIEW

Few shining moments in Stephen King’s ‘Lisey’s Story’

The writer scripted the Apple TV+ adaptation of his novel, but the eight-episode miniseries is a slog. Continue reading →