Another ballot question plot twist?

Also: The Cape's ocean engineering experiment; the opioid epidemic's "fourth wave" [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  July 11, 2024 ⛅ Partly cloudy, with a high near 90. Good Morning Boston, Happy 7-Eleven Day; here's [the store locator tool]( if you're trying to cash in on that [free Slurpee.]( (Listen, no one is judging what you need to get through [another muggy, humid day]( But first, let's get to the news: - Ballot battles: Massachusetts will have at least four ballot questions this fall. But the fifth remains an open question. Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office announced yesterday [the ballot campaign to raise the state's tipped minimum wage]( is facing one last unexpected hurdle. - What's the issue? The Massachusetts Restaurant Association filed an objection challenging a number of signatures that the ballot campaign filed to qualify for the November ballot. Galvin's office says it certified a total of 12,565 signatures for the campaign — only 136 more than the 12,429 minimum due last week. (A little too close for comfort!) If at least 137 signatures are successfully disqualified, the question would be blocked from the ballot. - What's wrong with the signatures? The MRA claims there are a number of different problems, including signatures signed by people who aren't registered to vote or that were "fraudulently obtained." Jessica Muradian, the MRA's director of governmental affairs, told WBUR's Zeninjor Enwemeka their "biggest objection is a lot of the signatures look like they've been signed by the same person." (The MRA hasn't said yet exactly how many signatures they're challenging, but will need to specify which ones before a hearing this month.) - The response? Organizers behind the ballot campaign say the MRA's objection is simply another attempt to stop the public from voting on tipped wages. "It will go to the ballot and it's going to pass ... and that's what they're worried about," Saru Jayaraman, the co-founder and president of One Fair Wage, told Zeninjor. - What's next: Galvin's office says the State Ballot Law Commission will hold a hearing to consider the objections "on or after July 17." - What about the other four questions? They're officially good to go. They include whether to [eliminate the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement]( whether to [allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize]( whether to [decriminalize certain psychedelic drugs]( and whether the [state auditor can audit the legislature](. - South of the border: Rhode Island officials say they're likely going to file a lawsuit over the Washington Bridge debacle in Providence. - What happened? The westbound side of the I-195 bridge was closed abruptly last December due to safety concerns, snarling traffic even in Massachusetts. Rhode Island officials previously said they hoped to rebuild the bridge and [fully reopen it by 2026](. However, after the state attracted zero bids for the project by a recent deadline, [the timeline is looking as uncertain as ever](. - What would a lawsuit do? The Public's Radio [reports]( the lawsuit — which could come as soon as next month — would try to claw back taxpayer money from those involved in the bridge's upkeep. (It would also delay the public release of fresh findings about how the bridge degraded.) - Boston police are investigating three dogs found dead inside an abandoned U-Haul truck Tuesday in Mattapan. According to the police report, a witness said the van had been parked in the same spot for days, if not over a week, amid the recent heat and humidity, and others mentioned seeing a person pouring water on a dog outside the van on Monday. No arrests have been made. - PSA: It's [illegal in Massachusetts]( to keep an animal confined in a vehicle during extreme hot or cold conditions, because it's super unsafe and inhumane for our furry friends. (And it doesn't matter if you've cracked a window or have the AC going!) For more pet safety tips during this heat and humidity, read [here](. - Un, deux, trois: Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday aren't the only Celtics players headed to the Olympics this month. Derrick White is now going to Paris, too. White was [named to the U.S. men's basketball team yesterday]( replacing the injury-hampered Kawhi Leonard. - Meanwhile, Celtics teammate and NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown [does not seem pleased]( about his lack of invitation to the Olympic team. - So far, so good: Team USA beat Canada in a warm-up exhibition game last night — with [former President Obama in the crowd](. P.S.— With wedding season in full swing, we want to hear your funniest wedding stories — the ones that really take the cake. [Fill out the form]( to share your stories of the moments that you can't stop thinking (and laughing) about. We'll aim to highlight the most quirky, one-of-a-kind memories in a future post or newsletter. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters  The Rundown [Scientists plan climate engineering experiment in ocean off Cape Cod]( Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution want to experiment in the waters off Cape Cod to see if tweaking the ocean’s chemistry could help slow climate change. They hope to disperse diluted sodium hydroxide – a strong base – south of Martha’s Vineyard, in a process called ocean alkalinity enhancement. [Read more.]( [Scientists plan climate engineering experiment in ocean off Cape Cod]( Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution want to experiment in the waters off Cape Cod to see if tweaking the ocean’s chemistry could help slow climate change. They hope to disperse diluted sodium hydroxide – a strong base – south of Martha’s Vineyard, in a process called ocean alkalinity enhancement. [Read more.]( [Canton police officer suspended for his alleged conduct involving Karen Read lead investigator]( Canton police officer Kevin Albert — whose brother, Brian, owned the house at the center of the Karen Read case — has been suspended with pay for his actions in a case he worked two years ago with state police detective Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Read case, a town official said. [Read more.]( [Canton police officer suspended for his alleged conduct involving Karen Read lead investigator]( Canton police officer Kevin Albert — whose brother, Brian, owned the house at the center of the Karen Read case — has been suspended with pay for his actions in a case he worked two years ago with state police detective Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Read case, a town official said. [Read more.]( [Stimulant users caught up in fatal 'fourth wave' of opioid epidemic]( Hundreds of Americans continue to die every day from overdoses. More of those deaths now involve stimulants like cocaine and meth mixed with fentanyl. Men of color have been hit particularly hard. [Read more.]( [Stimulant users caught up in fatal 'fourth wave' of opioid epidemic]( Hundreds of Americans continue to die every day from overdoses. More of those deaths now involve stimulants like cocaine and meth mixed with fentanyl. Men of color have been hit particularly hard. [Read more.]( [Boston gets $10 million to help close life expectancy gap between neighborhoods]( “Being able to live a long and healthy life shouldn’t depend on your wallet or where you live,” said the foundation's president Dr. Ann Hwang. [Read more.]( [Boston gets $10 million to help close life expectancy gap between neighborhoods]( “Being able to live a long and healthy life shouldn’t depend on your wallet or where you live,” said the foundation's president Dr. Ann Hwang. [Read more.]( [Framingham schools' former bus vendor pays $265K to settle bus contract dispute]( The city of Framingham sued bus vendor Durham School Services last year, alleging it did not provide the required number of school buses and drivers when Framingham schools reopened in 2021 after pandemic shutdowns. [Read more.]( [Framingham schools' former bus vendor pays $265K to settle bus contract dispute]( The city of Framingham sued bus vendor Durham School Services last year, alleging it did not provide the required number of school buses and drivers when Framingham schools reopened in 2021 after pandemic shutdowns. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - This weekend, you can watch the classic "Jaws" at the New England Aquarium, get "wild" at Somerville's ArtBeat Festival and then settle down for some outdoor jazz on the Charles River. And that's not all. Read [all five of our arts team's weekend event recommendations here](.  - The U.S. men's national soccer team [has fired head coach Gregg Berhalter](. With the World Cup coming to North America in just two years, now begins the speculation over who might fill the void.  - Looking for a night out without alcohol? Boston is now home to the country's first sober-curious comedy club. WBUR contributor Elijah Nicholson-Messmer has [the story behind the new SoBar Comedy](.  - Why is a medium-sized black hole such a big deal? Well, no one knows how an "intermediate" black hole gets created. But [a new discovery by the Hubble Space Telescope]( may help shed light on the mystery. What We're Reading 📚 - ‘Wall Street Journal’ sued by star reporter for discrimination ([NPR]( - Meet the bunny that’s hiked all 48 of N.H.’s 4,000-foot peaks. Yes, a bunny. ([The Boston Globe]( - Metal Thieves Are Stripping America’s Cities ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Hydrangeas go 'gangbusters' ahead of Cape Cod's annual flower festival]( Hydrangeas are popping across New England this summer. And the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival is giving people a rare opportunity to step into more than 100 private gardens to admire the flowers during a year of exceptional blooms. [Read more.]( [Hydrangeas go 'gangbusters' ahead of Cape Cod's annual flower festival]( Hydrangeas are popping across New England this summer. And the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival is giving people a rare opportunity to step into more than 100 private gardens to admire the flowers during a year of exceptional blooms. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common talks to WBUR's Anthony Brooks about [what we can all take away from watching others age with purpose](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: What would your Massachusetts-themed "I voted" sticker look like?[Wrong answers only.]( 😎 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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