• New poll shows overwhelming support of Governor Baker’s handling of COVID-19
  • Restarting Massachusetts’ economy will place safety above expediency
  • Accord reached in the House on virtual formal session rules; formal session Wednesday
  • Cape Cod Community College has moved the fall semester online, will others follow?
  • Seasonal residents on the receiving end of unpleasant municipal orders
  • Hundreds gather on Beacon Hill protesting Baker Administration orders
  • Tuesday’s Silver Lining: Leatherback turtles are making a comeback

 

  1. A new poll by Suffolk University, The Boston Globe and WGBH News found 84 percent of respondents approve of how Governor Baker has handled the COVID-19 outbreak and more than 85 percent support his decision to extend the nonessential business closure and stay-at-home order. Nearly half of the respondents, 46 percent, reported a loss of income due to COVID-19. The full poll results can be found here.

 

  1. Both Governor Baker & Lt. Governor Karyn Polito stressed restarting the Massachusetts economy will not be as simple as flipping a switch on May 18th, the day their nonessential business order is set to expire. Both Baker and Polito, who is leading an advisory board examining how to reopen the economy, are planning a methodical approach that puts safety ahead of speed.

 

  1. A week-long conflict between House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Minority Leader Brad Jones appears to be resolved as a compromise on rules for a virtual formal session was reached that will allow members to debate and vote on bills remotely by phone. The House adopted the temporary rules and plans to meet Wednesday in its first formal session in eight weeks.

 

  1. Cape Cod Community College has decided to move their fall semester online – the first of what may be many colleges to do so. Boston University and Harvard have publicly stated they will be open in the fall, yet it is unclear how students would be able to safely attend classes, live and eat in shared spaces and feel “safe” overall. However, without students living and dining on campus, colleges stand to lose millions in revenue. UMass has seen a revenue loss of $123 million since COVID-19 started and much of that was refunded to students for their room and board. Looking forward, UMass is considering all learning options, according to UMass President Marty Meehan.

 

  1. Seasonal residents across summer resort towns are feeling a little less welcome than in years past with many municipalities putting restrictions in place to protect all residents, full time and seasonal. On Newburyport’s Plum Island, city officials have delayed turning on water to the 120 to 130 vacation homes on the island while, in Salisbury, officials delayed turning water on to vacation homes until May 4. Nantucket visitors are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days and wear face masks in public.

 

  1. Hundreds of angry people gathered on Beacon Hill to protest Governor Baker’s extended stay-at-home and non-essential business closure order. Demonstrators flooded Beacon Street in front of the State House and blocked traffic while calling on the Governor to reopen the economy.

 

  1. SHELL YES: Endangered Leatherback sea turtles are making a significant comeback across abandoned Florida beaches. With COVID-19 keeping people off the beaches, researchers in Juno Beach noted 79 sea turtle nests along the 9.5 mile stretch of beach, a significant increase over last year. Now there’s some positive news.