Massachusetts governor to pardon those convicted of misdemeanor cannabis possession
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey says she'll issue pardons for tens of thousands of people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana charges going back decades in the latest example of a state ambitiously seeking to forgive low-level drug offenders.
Advocates scramble to aid homeless migrant families after Massachusetts caps emergency shelter slots
Advocates scrambling to find shelter for homeless migrant families newly arrived in Massachusetts say families are relying on a patchwork of airport lounges, Uber rides, hospital waiting rooms and walk-in church shelters after the state capped the number of family shelter spots and created a wait list.
Biden's Democratic allies intensify pressure for asylum-seekers to get work permits
As migration to the United States from Venezuela and other countries soars, Democratic elected officials are pressing the Biden administration to quickly grant work permits for asylum-seekers while their cases wind through immigration courts.
Massachusetts city got nearly 10 inches of rain in 6 hours, flooding homes and eroding dams
Heavy rainfall has flooded parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with two communities declaring a state of emergency as water poured into homes, creating moats around their foundations and leading to boat rescues of residents.
Some US states stock abortion medications after court ruling
A handful of states led by Democratic governors are stockpiling doses of drugs used in medication abortions amid fears that a court ruling could restrict access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. Massachusetts has purchased enough doses of the drug mifepristone to last for more than a year.
Royals tour US green tech incubator, meet at-risk youth
The Prince and Princess of Wales got a first-hand look at some groundbreaking innovations at a green technology startup incubator in suburban Boston, then followed with a visit to an organization that works to raise up young people struggling through poverty and violence.
Trump-backed Diehl to take on Healey in Mass. governor race
A former state representative endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Geoff Diehl, has won the Republican nomination for Massachusetts governor over a businessman, Chris Doughty, who was considered the more moderate candidate in the race.
AP Interview: State AG pushes accountability in opioid cases
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she opposes the current plan by Purdue Pharma to settle thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic in part because it would help preserve wealth for members of the Sackler family who own the company.
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to plead to 3 criminal charges as part of settlement of more than $8B
WASHINGTON โ Purdue Pharma, the company that makes OxyContin, the powerful prescription painkiller that experts say helped touch off an opioid epidemic, will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges as part of a settlement of more than $8 billion, Justice Department officials announced Wednesday. To Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the Justice Department โfailedโ and she said in a statement that she was not done with either Purdue or the Sacklers. Purdue will make a direct payment to the government of $225 million, which is part of a larger $2 billion criminal forfeiture. About half the states oppose that settlement, and also wrote Barr to ask him not to make the federal deal that includes converting Purdue into a public benefit corporation. As the maker of the best-known prescription opioid, Purdue is the highest-profile player in the opioid crisis, but itโs far from the other one.
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to plead to 3 criminal charges
The Justice Department says on Wednesday, Purdue Pharma, the company that makes OxyContin, will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges as part of a settlement of more than $8 billion. The deal does not release any of the companyโs executives or owners โ members of the wealthy Sackler family โ from criminal liability, and a criminal investigation is ongoing. Family members said they acted โethically and lawfully,โ but some state attorneys general said the agreement fails to hold the Sacklers accountable. Purdue will make a direct payment to the government of $225 million, which is part of a larger $2 billion criminal forfeiture. Until recently, the Sackler name was on museum galleries and educational programs around the world because of gifts from family members.