A shorter summer Sumner closure

Also: Dozens arrested after UMass encampment reemerges; Donna Summer's disco style on display at the MFA [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 8, 2024 🌧️ Showers and potential thunderstorms, with a high of 62. Good Morning Boston, Lana Del Rey may be [coming to Fenway Park next month]( but we won't be feeling as much Sumner-time sadness as last year. - Tunnel vision: We’re less than two months away from the second big Sumner Tunnel closure, but unlike last year it won’t be for two full months. State officials announced yesterday they’ve cut the expected length of this year’s closure in half — down to just a single month. Under the new schedule, the Sumner will shut down on Friday, July 5, and reopen "no later" than Monday, Aug. 5. - How'd they shorten it? While last year’s closure rehabilitated the 88-year-old tunnel’s ceiling, walls and lighting, this summer’s closure will turn its focus to the road deck. And upon closer inspection during some of the recent weekend closures, MassDOT officials realized they don't need a full two months to get that work done. “We were able to compress the work and instead schedule some of the extra work that doesn't need a full closure into additional weekend closures that will happen this fall,” Massachusetts Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said yesterday. - The new plan does mean more weekend closures. The exact number depends on how productive crews are during that one month. But according to Gulliver, they'll likely continue into October, excluding some holiday weekends: "Our expectation is that we won't need much more than that, but we have allowed for [the state's contractor] to go up to Thanksgiving." - How to get around it: While it's not two months, that one-month closure is still the most disruptive MassDOT project of the year. State officials are encouraging residents to take public transit to and from East Boston and Logan Airport to avoid the detours and general congestion caused by traffic backups. So, they're offering [the same package of incentives as last year]( free Blue Line, free ferries, free buses, commuter rail discounts and more. - Show me the money: Massachusetts Senate leaders unveiled a nearly $58 billion annual budget proposal yesterday. How does this one compare to past budgets? It's more than 3% higher than last year's budget, but slightly more fiscally conservative than both the new budgets proposed by Gov. Maura Healey and approved by the House, according to reporting from WBUR's Walter Wuthmann. - Where does the Senate think we should invest? Education and transportation. The proposal would allocate over $117 million to make Massachusetts community college [free for all students]( and about $40 million toward making Massachusetts' regional bus systems ([like the WRTA]( free for riders. "It reflects the priorities of the senators, which includes ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens are taken care of, that our cities and towns have the resources they need to provide their essential services," Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues told Walt. - What's next? Compromise. The Senate and House need to agree on a new budget before the fiscal year starts on July 1. (We're not holding our breath they'll meet that deadline since the Legislature has not passed a budget on time in the last 13 years.) - The latest: Steward Health Care is putting its hospitals — including eight in Massachusetts — on the auction block. At a bankruptcy court hearing yesterday, lawyers for the for-profit hospital chain said they're aiming to sell the hospitals by the end of June, with the goal of keeping them up and running through the change in ownership. - Go deeper: Here are [five things to know about Steward's bankruptcy process](. - PSA: The City of Boston wants to help you pay to host a block party — again. The grants, back for a second summer in a row, provide up to $75o for residents to host community gatherings. You can use the cash to cover everything from food to games. [Applications are accepted on a rolling basis (or until the funds are gone) by July 31.]( So, get planning! (The city even has [a planning guide]( to help you do so.) P.S.— Mother's Day is coming up soon, and we have a great way to show the moms in your life just how much you care, while supporting the news you rely on.[Send Winston Flowers from WBUR.]( You can choose from four beautiful options, with local delivery beginning later this week. (And if you're doing some last-minute shopping, check out[these unique shops around Boston]( to pair your flowers with a one-of-a-kind gift.) Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters  The Rundown [Dozens arrested after UMass Amherst protestors once again set up encampment]( Police clashed with and arrested dozens of protesters on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus Tuesday night, after students reestablished an encampment in solidarity with Palestine. [Read more.]( [Dozens arrested after UMass Amherst protestors once again set up encampment]( Police clashed with and arrested dozens of protesters on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus Tuesday night, after students reestablished an encampment in solidarity with Palestine. [Read more.]( [TikTok challenges U.S. ban in court, calling it unconstitutional]( The high-stakes legal battle could determine the future of the popular app in the U.S. TikTok's legal filing calls the ban law an unprecedented violation of First Amendment rights. [Read more.]( [TikTok challenges U.S. ban in court, calling it unconstitutional]( The high-stakes legal battle could determine the future of the popular app in the U.S. TikTok's legal filing calls the ban law an unprecedented violation of First Amendment rights. [Read more.]( [What we can learn from 4 schools that have reached agreements with Gaza protesters]( Northwestern, Brown, Rutgers and University of Minnesota are among the handful of schools that have reached agreements with student protesters. Here's how they did it, and what could come next. [Read more.]( [What we can learn from 4 schools that have reached agreements with Gaza protesters]( Northwestern, Brown, Rutgers and University of Minnesota are among the handful of schools that have reached agreements with student protesters. Here's how they did it, and what could come next. [Read more.]( [Adult film star Stormy Daniels testifies against Trump in New York trial]( Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, has spent the last several years in legal battles with former President Trump. She has taken the stand to testify against him in a criminal trial. [Read more.]( [Adult film star Stormy Daniels testifies against Trump in New York trial]( Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, has spent the last several years in legal battles with former President Trump. She has taken the stand to testify against him in a criminal trial. [Read more.]( [Toxic culture is the norm at the FDIC, outside review cites 500 employee complaints]( A law firm investigation of the FDIC documents a toxic workplace culture where hundreds of employees complained of sexual harassment, discrimination and other misconduct. [Read more.]( [Toxic culture is the norm at the FDIC, outside review cites 500 employee complaints]( A law firm investigation of the FDIC documents a toxic workplace culture where hundreds of employees complained of sexual harassment, discrimination and other misconduct. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Glittering garments worn by Boston's own “Queen of Disco” are having their MFA debut in the exhibition "Dress Up." Andrea Shea has [the story behind the museum's acquisition of Donna Summer's dresses here]( (plus some great glam photos of the gowns). - Sperm whales don't sing like humpback whales, but it seems the deep-sea mammals have [far more nuanced communication than previously thought.]( With the help of AI, researchers at MIT decoded sound patterns that work like an "alphabet." - In Greek music, the laouto is usually considered accompaniment for the clarinet or violin. However, jazz guitarist Vasilis Kostas is [taking the eight-string instrument to new places](. After learning to play the laouto while getting his master's at Berklee, Kostas has gone on to earn a Grammy nomination and made headlines in Greece. - It's official: [The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name]( after 114 years — and recent scandal — to "Scouting America." The rebrand will go into effect early next year. President Roger Krone said Tuesday "we are an organization for all. It's time our name reflects that." What We're Reading 📚 - The Revenge of the Home Page ([The New Yorker]( - As police swarmed Columbia, its student radio station kept broadcasting ([Washington Post]( - A ‘Skate Migration’ Is Changing How Atlanta Rolls ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [A baby boy, a flight to Florida and a Game 1 goal: Inside an unforgettable 24 hours for Brandon Carlo (Boston.com)]( It was a wild 24 hours for Brandon Carlo, who was in Boston for the birth of his son, flew to Florida and scored a goal against the Florida Panthers. [Read more.]( [A baby boy, a flight to Florida and a Game 1 goal: Inside an unforgettable 24 hours for Brandon Carlo (Boston.com)]( It was a wild 24 hours for Brandon Carlo, who was in Boston for the birth of his son, flew to Florida and scored a goal against the Florida Panthers. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common present [the first of a three-part series]( that explores the past, present and future of psychedelics, and what their decriminalization could mean for Massachusetts. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Wrong answers only, [romantic edition](. Meagan McGinnes helped produce today's newsletter. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.](    Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2023 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.