Fighting absenteeism with fun

Also: The biggest Orange Line disruption since 2022; remembering Bill Walton [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 28, 2024 🌤️ Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Good Morning Boston, The Celtics are going to the NBA Finals. After[finishing their sweep of the Indiana Pacers last night]( the C's have some time to relax before Game 1 of the Finals next Thursday on June 6. (They'll likely face the Dallas Mavericks — and [old friend]( Kyrie Irving — who are up 3-0 in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.) But first, let's get to the news. - Orange Line riders, you’re up again: The biggest Orange Line diversion since [the full month-long shutdown]( of 2022 has [begun](. As part of its War on Slow Zones, the MBTA has suspended train service from Medford’s Wellington station all the way to Back Bay, today through June 6. The 10-day disruption is the second time this month the T has suspended a downtown swath of one of its subway lines, following [a nine-day partial Red Line closure](. Here’s how to get around it: - Between Wellington and North Station: Free shuttle buses will stop at all closed stations. Give yourself extra time, especially during rush-hour traffic. The T is also making the Haverhill commuter rail line free between North Station and Oak Grove, with a stop at Malden Center. That’s a faster, if less frequent, option. (Just keep in mind, midday inbound trains on the line are being diverted, due to [overlapping track work]( - Between North Station and Back Bay: Take the Green Line. There’ll be no shuttles for this downtown stretch. Plus, the Green Line runs parallel from North Station to Copley, which is a five-minute walk from Back Bay. The T is also running more Green Line trains to accommodate the increase in riders and leaving fare gates open at North Station and Copley (inbound only). - Bluebikes is also offering five free rides during the diversion to those who don't already have a membership. Just enter the code "MBTAORANGEMAY" in the mobile app. [Click here for details](. - Why is the closure necessary? It’s not just track work. The diversion north of North Station is because of [a MassDOT project on two bridges]( near Sullivan Square. Meanwhile, crews will be working to replace tracks, lift slow zones and clean up stations along the closed underground stretch downtown. - South Shore stabbing spree: A Martha's Vineyard man is due in court today, facing charges for [two separate stabbings over Memorial Day weekend](. Prosecutors say 26-year-old Jared Ravizza stabbed four girls without warning at a movie theater in Braintree, following a similar attack on two adults at a McDonald's in Plymouth on Saturday. (None suffered life-threatening injuries.) - Ravizza, who was arrested Saturday night after a police pursuit, faces several charges, including assault with intent to murder. - Headed to the beach? Gloucester has a new reservation system to address [some frustrations from last summer](. The [new Blinkay app]( requires out-of-towners to pay to reserve parking spots up to 10 days in advance at popular spots, like Good Harbor and Wingaersheek beaches. It also allows users to cancel their booking and get a credit for a future visit if they decide not to go due to bad weather. Mayor Greg Varga told WBUR's Dan Guzman the new system is a "good compromise" that lets both residents and non-residents enjoy Gloucester's beaches. - That's not the only update: Gloucester also added mobility mats and beach wheelchairs at Good Harbor and Wingaersheek. Varga says they are a "significant step toward making our community more inclusive." - PSA: It's "[trash amnesty week]( in Brookline. Today through Saturday, residents enrolled in the city's trash pickup service can put out extra waste without incurring a fee for overflow trash bags. - Reminder: You still have to [schedule pickup for bulky items]( like furniture and mattresses, in advance. P.S.— The Celtics weren't the only local team celebrating this weekend. PWHL Boston [staved off elimination in a tense, double-overtime 1-0 win Sunday]( over Minnesota, sending the battle for the first-ever Walter Cup to a fifth and final game tomorrow night at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. [Watch the highlights of the dramatic Game 4 finish]( from Minnesota's overturned cup-winning goal to Alina Muller's actual winner literally seconds later. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters  The Rundown [In Boston, schools test ways to target student absences with sports, raffles and Saturday schedules]( Boston Public Schools' new campaign to tackle absenteeism seeks to reward students for improved attendance while identifying why some kids "chronically" miss school. [Read more.]( [In Boston, schools test ways to target student absences with sports, raffles and Saturday schedules]( Boston Public Schools' new campaign to tackle absenteeism seeks to reward students for improved attendance while identifying why some kids "chronically" miss school. [Read more.]( [Sewage discharges increase risk of hospital visits for residents near Merrimack River, study finds]( People living near the Merrimack River are at increased risk of developing acute gastrointestinal illnesses in the days following large sewage releases into the river, according to a new study from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health. [Read more.]( [Sewage discharges increase risk of hospital visits for residents near Merrimack River, study finds]( People living near the Merrimack River are at increased risk of developing acute gastrointestinal illnesses in the days following large sewage releases into the river, according to a new study from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health. [Read more.]( [They save lives, but they can't buy a house: First responders hit by Cape and Islands housing crisis]( Orleans first responders share their struggle in searching for a house on the expensive Cape. Single-family homes in Orleans sold for a median price of $1.2 million last year. That’s 68% more than the median sale price Cape-wide, according to the Cape and Islands Association of Realtors. [Read more.]( [They save lives, but they can't buy a house: First responders hit by Cape and Islands housing crisis]( Orleans first responders share their struggle in searching for a house on the expensive Cape. Single-family homes in Orleans sold for a median price of $1.2 million last year. That’s 68% more than the median sale price Cape-wide, according to the Cape and Islands Association of Realtors. [Read more.]( [The 3 ways Trump's hush money trial could end, as jury deliberations begin soon]( Former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman breaks down three broad possible conclusions the jury could reach. [Read more.]( [The 3 ways Trump's hush money trial could end, as jury deliberations begin soon]( Former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman breaks down three broad possible conclusions the jury could reach. [Read more.]( [US Navy marks Memorial Day with 21-gun salute from USS Constitution]( Hundreds of visitors, many of them tourists from other countries, gathered for a commemoration for Memorial Day aboard the USS Constitution in Charlestown Monday. [Read more.]( [US Navy marks Memorial Day with 21-gun salute from USS Constitution]( Hundreds of visitors, many of them tourists from other countries, gathered for a commemoration for Memorial Day aboard the USS Constitution in Charlestown Monday. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The "one of a kind" Bill Walton [died Monday at the age of 71]( following a long fight with cancer. The beloved basketball legend won championships with UCLA, the Portland Trailblazers and the Celtics — not to mention an Emmy award for his broadcasting work. (There was also no bigger Grateful Dead fan, physically or figuratively.) - [Listen here to Walton's 2016 interview]( on WBUR's Only a Game about battling chronic pain and his new lease on life. - ICYMI: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined Radio Boston this past Friday to talk about her trip to the Vatican for a climate conference, her plans to keep Bostonians safe this summer and commercial property taxes. [Listen to the full segment here.]( - Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is embroiled in another flag controversy, after The New York Times reported the “Appeal to Heaven” flag was flown outside his beach house. Here's [a look at how the flag (with Massachusetts roots) became a banner of the far right](. What We're Reading 📚 - Beverly venue apologizes after Richard Dreyfuss goes on rant ahead of ‘Jaws’ screening ([Boston.com]( - What Do Students at Elite Colleges Really Want? ([The New York Times]( - ‘Part of the further fracturing of American society’: GBH’s suspension of ‘Basic Black’ seen as troubling media trend ([The Boston Globe](  Tell Me Something Good [Photos capture country vibes under sunny skies at Boston Calling]( This year's festival featured sunny skies and warm temperatures to usher in summer. Check out photos from the three-day festival here. [Read more.]( [Photos capture country vibes under sunny skies at Boston Calling]( This year's festival featured sunny skies and warm temperatures to usher in summer. Check out photos from the three-day festival here. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common brings you two episodes from our archives. [Take a podcast trip to Mei-Mei dumpling factory]( listen to a rewind of [their conversation with ¡Con Salsa! host José Massó](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Welcome to Boston Calling, [where we bleed Dunkin'](. WBUR's Hanna Ali 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? 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