baker

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Charlie Baker is planning to sign legislation doubling the line of duty death benefit for families of first responders. The bill will increase the benefit from $150,000 to $300,000. The change is included in a supplemental spending bill for the current 2017 fiscal year...

NEW BEDFORD - What is traditionally a non-partisan race has continued to develop into a race that clearly is separating Democrats from Republicans. The latest news from the run for the vacant Ward Three seat on the New Bedford City Council is that Jill Marie Ussach, the only declared Republican in the race, has been endorsed by governor Charlie Baker...

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Charlie Baker is planning to launch a Black Advisory Commission charged with advising him on issues related to the economic prosperity and well-being of the black community in Massachusetts. The Republican governor plans to launch the commission as a celebration of Black History Month by signing an executive order Thursday and swearing in several members of the panel... Read Mor

NEW BEDFORD - Two Southcoast communities have received state recognition for renewable energy initiatives. New Bedford was one of 30 communities in Massachusetts named as a "Green Community" by Governor Charlie Baker Thursday. New Bedford Energy Manager Scott Durkee tells WBSM News improvements in energy efficiency across the city have had multi-faceted benefits...

BOSTON (AP) _ Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who did not vote for Donald Trump, is urging the president-elect's critics not to prejudge the incoming administration or key appointees to federal posts. Baker said Tuesday after returning from the Republican Governor's Association meeting in Florida that he was encouraged by the tone of a private meeting the governors had with Vice Presi

The Baker administration has awarded three Extended Learning Time grants to Massachusetts public schools, two of them to New Bedford Schools. Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin says the grants, totalling $712,000 will extend the school days at Hayden-McFadden Elementary and Normandin Middle schools by half an hour...

The Baker-Politio administration is awarding nearly $800,000 in federal grant money to help towns and organizations protect water quality in Buzzards Bay. The Buzzard's Bay Coalition has recieved a lion's share of the grants - $200,000 - to partner with Wareham, Bourne, Plymouth, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to evaluate the feasability of moving the Wareham Wastewater Treatment Facility.

State representatives were successful in overriding budgetary vetoes made by Governor Charlie Baker. A number of the overrides included funding for New Bedford-based initiatives. Representative Antonio Cabral tells WBSM News close to $2 million in budget earmarks was secured by an overwhelming majority of override votes...

The Baker administration is awarding nearly $3 million to communities throughout the state in an effort to combat substance abuse. New Bedford is one of 127 communities to benefit from the grant program, receiving $100,000. The City's Department of Public Health Director, Brenda Weis, tells WBSM News the program focuses on opioid abuse, and studying the best approaches to prevent that abuse... Rea

24/7 News Source - Governor Charlie Baker it's time to "get the Commonwealth back to work" and the kids back to school. He says the historic snowfall totals call for "unprecedented action." At a noon briefing, Baker announced the state's action plan, which includes activation of 500 National Guard troops to help communities with snow removal...