GBFB Gave More Food Per Month During Pandemic Than In 40-Year History

Also: gov rescinds rule barring foreign students from U.S. while college remote; Maine House Speaker wins state Senate primary ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( July 15, 2020 Good Morning Boston, 🌩️ Clouds and sunshine. [Cooler and drier]( highs in the 70s. Lots of news to go with your coffee this morning. Here's what you should know: - There will be no Swan Boats this year for the first time in the operation's 143-year history. The boats were expected to hit the water on April 18. - A [new bill]( in the state Legislature would make wearing face masks mandatory and would enforce the rule with fines. It would also require two-week quarantines for people traveling to Massachusetts from coronavirus hot spots, for which violators would also face fines. - Many universities in Massachusetts are looking to have students back on campus in some way in the fall. But that means they'll need to figure out a new SOP for[testing students](. Here's the conundrum: In a computer model, campus outbreaks could be controlled when universities tested their entire student bodies frequently. But a lower cost, lower-accuracy test also showed promise, if it was administered often enough. - When it comes to K-12, the state is urging school districts to wait until next month to announce their reopening plans. That's because there is still a lot up in the air. Right now one of the largest teachers unions is calling for schools to follow a phased-in approach modeled after the state's economic reopening plan. They say it would allow teachers time to better establish new protocols, acclimate to new hybrid models, and meet with students and parents. - An update on mail-in ballots: It looks like the state may meet today's deadline after all, thanks to Gov. Charlie Baker. The state is in the process of sending out the applications today. Baker sent funding to the Secretary of State's office in order to get them out. This comes after a [lawsuit]( was filed earlier this week against William Galvin's office due to the applications' expected delay. - There are promising results reported in the phase one clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by the Cambridge biotech firm Moderna. The much-anticipated data published in the [New England Journal of Medicine]( show early evidence the vaccine might protect against COVID-19. Moderna is currently conducting phase three clinical trials on the vaccine, and researchers say the results of that study will determine if the vaccine truly works. - Zoom out: Congress is [investigating]( handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19, calling the deals "suspicious" because the companies lacked experience and, in some cases, had political connections to the Trump administration. P.S.– Today is Tax Day. If you haven't already, make sure those forms are signed, sealed and in the mail! And if after looking at the numbers you're thinking you may need advice on [creating a new budget and managing your cash flow]( I spoke with a local CFA earlier this summer to share some tips. I hope it helps. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[Mass. Food Banks Brace For Surge Of Need As $600 Unemployment Benefit Expires Soon]( Since the pandemic, the Greater Boston Food Bank has distributed more food each month than any other in its 40-year history. And now, officials at the state's food banks say they're expecting yet another spike in demand. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Gov't Rescinds Rule Barring Foreign Students From U.S. While Colleges Hold Classes Remotely]( The Department of Homeland Security agreed to rescind new and tighter restrictions placed on student visas amid a suit begun by Harvard and MIT. The striking reversal came in a hearing Tuesday in federal court that lasted just a few minutes. [Read more.]( 3. [Maine House Speaker Wins State Senate Primary, Will Challenge Susan Collins In November]( Sara Gideon will now take on Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in a contest that has already drawn extensive attention from national media and is one of a handful of races that could determine control of the Senate next year. [Read more.]( 4. [In Supreme Court Term, Liberals Stuck Together While Conservatives Appeared Fractured]( For SCOTUS geeks who love numbers, it's worth looking at how the conservatives often split among themselves, while the liberal justices, understanding that they are playing defense, stuck together far more often, refusing to dilute the outcome of their victories by disagreeing with one another. more.]( 5. [Trump Overhauls Key Environmental Law To Speed Up Pipelines And Other Projects]( In Atlanta today, President Trump will announce big changes to the regulations that govern one of the nation's most significant environmental laws. Critics say it could sideline the concerns of poor and minority communities impacted by those projects, and discount their impact on climate change. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Game on? The Patriots are developing a plan that would [allow fans to attend games this season]( with seating limited to about 20% of Gillette Stadium's capacity. - Demonstrators in the Seaport yesterday called on Boston companies to [bolster Black employment](. The demands focused on the city's high-tech sector. "In a billion-dollar industry, I'm sure there's a way," said one community advocate. - Listen to Boston-based Eleanor Elektra's [new album]( "Exquisite Corpse." It's an ode to climate change and the destruction of the environment. - This commentary hit me hard: Tracy Strauss wrote about the [desperate desire for a real hug](. "I’ve envied my friends who live with significant others and children – and yet, they say they envy me... Human touch is a privilege, a gift taken for granted." [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [H]( & Now | Are You Cut Out To Work From Home?]( [Listen]( REOPENING GUIDES & INFO [Massachusetts Art Museums Are Reopening. Here's What You Can Expect]( My Gym Is Reopening. Is It Safe To Work Out There? [Read more.]( Know Your Rights: What Your Employer Must Do To Keep You Safe As You Return To Work. [Read more.]( Go In Or Call In? Here's Some Basic Guidance For Routine Health Care During COVID-19. [Read more.]( 📫 Want reopening news from a source you trust, sent right to your inbox? [Sign up for our twice-a-week coronavirus newsletter.]( What We're Reading - I Am Not Your Black Unicorn ([Poynter]( - The Lives Upended Around A $20 Cheeseburger ([The Washington Post]( Tell Me Something Good [Everett Mayor, On Vacation, Steps In As Emergency Wedding Officiant In West Yarmouth]( To show their gratitude, the newlyweds will be presenting DeMaria with a gift and their thanks at the Willowbend Club House in Mashpee yesterday. Before you go: Do you recognize this[piano player]( After bringing joy (and some Journey) to patrons of a local antique store in Norwood, the owner has a gift for him. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? 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