• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • 5 DOUBLE-U’S
    • MASTHEAD
    • DISTRIBUTION
    • ADVERTISE
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH MASSACHUSETTS POLITICS AND VACCINATIONS?

Written by ZACK HUFFMAN Posted February 8, 2021 Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS

City Council president Kim Janey.

LOCAL

Aspiring outgoing Boston Mayor Marty Walsh seems to be eagerly awaiting his opportunity to leave City Council President Kim Janey holding the bag and having to run all things municipal.

Assuming that Walsh is confirmed by the US Senate as the next secretary of labor, Janey will receive the distinct honor of being Boston’s first female and first Black mayor. She will also inherit a city during a pandemic and an ever-looming eviction crisis.

Boston currently has a 9.9% positive COVID-19 test rate, according to Boston Public Health Commission data from Feb 5. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Trial Courts released a report in mid January showing that nearly 4,000 eviction cases had been filed in the state in December despite the national eviction moratorium in place.

There is also a good chance that Janey may have to select the new police commissioner, since Walsh’s pick to replace William Gross, Dennis White, was suspended less than a week after his appointment following reports that he abused his ex-wife when they were still married.

Meanwhile, the City Council passed an ordinance on Feb 3 that would postpone a special election. Twelve members voted in favor of the measure, none voted against it, and recently-announced mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George abstained, saying that her candidacy created a conflict of interest that her fellow councilors and mayoral competitors Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell were implicitly less concerned about.

As long as Walsh, the state legislature, and Gov. Charlie Baker gets on board, Janey might get a few extra months to deal with the mess before having to decide whether or not to run for reelection.

STATE

Aside from weighing in on Boston politics, the Baker administration is falling short in its effort to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite Moderna creating the second available vaccine out of Massachusetts, the Bay State currently ranks 38th among the 50 states in terms of vaccines per 100,000 residents, according to the Brown School of Public Health, which partnered with Microsoft to track vaccination rates nationwide.

Of the population in Massachusetts, about 70% are white, while the Black and Latinx populations account for 9% and 12% of the overall population, respectively. But Black and Latinx people have only received 4% and 5% of the available vaccines, according to data released Feb 2 by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Baker had intended to curb that trend when he announced that a public vaccine center would be opened at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury. The clinic opened Wednesday, Feb 3, but almost everyone in line, including Mayor Marty Walsh’s mother, was from Boston’s whiter and often more affluent neighborhoods and suburbs.

Following the first day of the Reggie Lewis clinic being in operation, Baker was pushed to create and announce a special time where only people from the local community can get vaccinated. The Baker administration apparently did not expect wealthier residents to go out of their way to take advantage of the system, reflecting a lack of awareness of just about the entire history of this country.

NATIONAL 

Following a ham-handed Senate hearing for the nominee, Walsh was on the cusp of confirmation as of Feb 6.

The GOP did not appear to even be familiar with the Boston mayor, who was made to answer for the one labor-related executive action that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have taken in their first few weeks in office. Republicans used cooked stats from the energy industry to challenge Walsh on temporary jobs that were lost when the president canceled the Keystone XL pipeline through executive order.

If confirmed, which appears likely, Walsh will oversee labor policy and union activity in the country. But Republicans were interested in griping about the first increase to minimum wage in 14 years, and trying to catch Walsh as a snobby east coast elite.

One Senator even wondered how a minimum wage increase would harm tipped workers in the restaurant industry. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall tried to nail Walsh with a half-assed question about Boston’s cost of living based on a single cup of coffee. In response, Hizzoner plugged the very reasonable prices at Doughboy Donuts in South Boston.

Southie being Southie and all, though, management was neither peeved nor impressed.

“It seems like they make a big deal out of nothing,” shop owner Phyllis Fandel told WBZ. “It’s a coffee place. I mean, thank God—he’s a loyal customer and he mentions us, you know, But it’s … just so bizarre.”

The same might be said about how the GOP attempted to grill Walsh.

ZACK HUFFMAN

Zack is a veteran reporter. He writes for DigBoston and VICE, and formerly reported for the Boston Courant and Bulletin Newspapers.

More from author
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY AND STATE TO FINALLY SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS?
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    DOES THE FORMER BPD COMMISSIONER EVEN LIVE IN BOSTON?
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    TITANIC SHIFTS: DEMS SWAP DECK CHAIRS AMIDST GOP-PROVOKED TSUNAMI
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    IT'S HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A BATHROOM IN BOSTON. WHAT'S THE CITY DOING ABOUT IT?

Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: 2021 mayoral race, Charlie Baker, Kim Janey, Marty Walsh, vaccinations

WHAT’S NEW

CAMPBELL UNVEILS PLAN FOR POLICE TRANSPARENCY

CAMPBELL UNVEILS PLAN FOR POLICE TRANSPARENCY

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE CRUEL AND USUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN MASS PRISONS

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE CRUEL AND USUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN MASS PRISONS

INBOX: GROUP CALLS FOR BIDEN TO ABOLISH POLICE MILITARIZATION PROGRAM

INBOX: GROUP CALLS FOR BIDEN TO ABOLISH POLICE MILITARIZATION PROGRAM

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY AND STATE TO FINALLY SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS?

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY AND STATE TO FINALLY SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS?

HOMEWORK FOR BEACON HILL’S COVID EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

HOMEWORK FOR BEACON HILL’S COVID EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

A FIREFIGHTER ELECTION

A FIREFIGHTER ELECTION

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • SPECIAL FEATURE ON THE MASS STATE POLICE: TROOPER WILSON’S WAR by CHRIS FARAONE
  • DOES THE FORMER BPD COMMISSIONER EVEN LIVE IN BOSTON? by ZACK HUFFMAN
  • [UPDATE: WE GOT IT!] WHERE IS THE CONTRACT FOR MASSACHUSETTS’ VACCINE APPOINTMENT SOFTWARE? by POLINA WHITEHOUSE
  • BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY GRADS FIGHT FOR REPRESENTATION IN ALUMNI GROUP by CHRIS FARAONE
  • MASS KEEPS TRYING TO BUILD A NEW WOMEN’S PRISON OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC VIEW by DAN ATKINSON

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 1.9 – 11/26/20

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

Footer

digbos

LGBTQ+ prisoners in Mass stand up to a violent sys LGBTQ+ prisoners in Mass stand up to a violent system that targets and dehumanizes vulnerable populations. https://digboston.com/special-feature-the-cruel-and-usual-violence-against-lgbtq-people-in-mass-prisons/ #prison #prisoner #humanrights #LGBT #politics #Massachusetts
Nominations now open! Vote for your favorite busin Nominations now open! Vote for your favorite businesses today. 

Are you a business? Are you the best at what you do? Encourage your fans to cast their votes! DM us to get our social media materials to promote your business and ensure your win. #bostontops #digboston
Bill sponsors, #Framingham mayor, and MA district Bill sponsors, #Framingham mayor, and MA district attorney will explain the Work & Family Mobility Act at a press conference. https://digboston.com/driving-families-forward-coalition-aims-to-help-undocumented-attain-drivers-licenses/ #politics #undocumented #immigration #driving #license #Massachusetts
Today at 4pm, cast your votes! #digboston Today at 4pm, cast your votes! #digboston
At a virtual summit, leaders sought to educate and At a virtual summit, leaders sought to educate and engage on the need for change. https://digboston.com/officials-advocates-speak-to-immigration-reform-and-economic-recovery/ #immigration #reform #economy #politics #Massachusetts
When it comes to special packaging and limited edi When it comes to special packaging and limited editions, Jack’s Abby and subsidiary Springdale out in Framingham are top players. https://digboston.com/video-unboxing-springdale-beers-limited-edition-neipa-music-box-set/ #beer #fun
Industrial Arts Brewing in NY’s Hudson Valley is Industrial Arts Brewing in NY’s Hudson Valley is well worth the look out of state ... https://digboston.com/video-pocket-wrench-by-industrial-arts-brewing-is-a-super-satisfying-session/ #beer #fun
Some who are civilly committed for #addiction in M Some who are civilly committed for #addiction in Mass face abusive #prison conditions. Still, some families say it’s better than the alternative https://digboston.com/the-commitments-addiction-treatment-behind-bars-in-massachusetts/ #treatment #Massachusetts
“Then this thing happened. I decided to pivot. I “Then this thing happened. I decided to pivot. It was probably my best shot at attracting some national attention to #Nebraska.” https://digboston.com/interview-with-rural-rebellion-author-ross-benes/ #interview #book #politics #USA #MAGA
Mark your calendars! Mark your calendars!
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]