Text Messages Can Now Be Used As Evidence In Court

Also: New study ties housing stability to health outcomes; how an auto parts magnate is revving up the Mass. GOP ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( June 2, 2021 Good Morning Boston, ⛅ Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Does it feel like the birds singing outside your window are waking you up earlier and earlier each morning? That's because they likely are. [According to local meteorologist Dave Epstein]( civil twilight now begins just after 4:30 a.m. and nautical twilight just after 4 a.m. – and the latter is when the birds start their morning tunes for you. We're soon approaching our [earliest sunrise]( of the year in two weeks. Here's what else you should know this morning: - Child care providers in Massachusetts are [no longer required to follow coronavirus-related protocols](. The big news is children under 5 won't need to wear masks in child care settings — inside or outside – and they don't need to maintain at least three feet of distance indoors. Since children under 12 aren't able to get vaccinated yet, there are some health protocol suggestions from the state, but it's up to each business what safety measures, if any, they want to put in place. - Be careful what you put in your text messages to other people. They can [now be used as evidence in court]( the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled. This decision on the expectation of privacy in text messages is a pretty big deal because few courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have established any precedent or previous rulings in this space. - On Beacon Hill: Lawmakers plan to put aside $5 million in federal COVID relief money in a fund to use later, before 2024. Gov. Charlie Baker thinks we should be using the funds now – and that the money doesn't require legislative appropriation. But Baker might lose this fight because state budget observers are fine with the Legislature's wait-and-see approach. - Some good news: The COVID hospitalization rate is at an eight-month low statewide. Only 225 people across the state are now hospitalized, the lowest number since September. - A surprising estimation: Indoor cannabis grow centers are responsible for [about 10% of all industrial electricity consumption]( in Massachusetts, a representative from the Northeast Sustainable Cannabis Project said Tuesday. That's a lot of energy! - If you are not yet vaccinated and want to go to a WooSox home game for free this week, boy, do I have good news for you. The team is offering the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the ticket office all week. Anyone who gets their shot will get a free ticket to the game and a WooSox hat. P.S.– It's getting warm this week. As more people start to head to the beach, here's an old article from The Boston Globe that's good to reread: ["Is That A Great White Shark’s Fin? Or Something Else? Here’s How To Tell The Difference."]( It's a life skill every New Englander should probably have. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[A 5-Year Boston Area Housing Study Shows How Housing Stability Is Tied To Health Outcomes]( The research found children's emergency room visits were nearly cut in half when families were connected with housing counselors, and in some cases with subsidies to pay rent. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Auto Parts Magnate Rick Green Hopes To Rev Up Mass. GOP]( Rick Green, chief executive of 1A Auto Parts, has become one of the biggest engines behind the conservative wing of the Massachusetts Republican party, creating a challenge for the state's more moderate Republican governor, Charlie Baker. [Read more.]( 3. [Supreme Court Ruling Could Help Guatemalan Man Remain In Massachusetts]( About 10 years ago, Lucio Perez was arrested for leaving his children in a car while he stopped at a Dunkin Donuts. Those charges were dropped, but his case was turned over to U.S. immigration officials. He's been fighting deportation ever since. [Read more.]( 4. [The Pope Is Toughening Church Laws On Sex Abuse, Fraud And The Ordination Of Women]( The revision is the first in four decades since the version Pope John Paul II approved in 1983. And it appears to be in response to numerous clerical sex abuse and financial scandals that have rocked the church and shaken the trust of the faithful across the world over the last quarter century. [Read more.]( 5. [Put Your Wallet Away. Meat Prices Are Not Likely To Rise After JBS Cyberattack]( However, if the suspension across JBS USA's five plants continues for more than a week, then consumers could expect to pay a little more for a T-bone steak. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Alpha? Beta? Instead Of Britain and South Africa? Here's why the WHO is [renaming COVID variants.]( - Bookmark this: It's your [2021 guide to summer drive-ins]( and outdoor movie pop-ups. - The U.S. government says UFOs are real – and so do I, writes Jim Sullivan [in this commentary.]( [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [On Point | How To Cut Through The 'Noise' That Hinders Human Judgment]( [Listen]( COVID-19 RESOURCES [Here's How To Book A Vaccine Appointment In Massachusetts]( CHARTS, MAP: Mass. Vaccine Tracking And COVID Case Counts. [Read more.]( Baker Seeks To Preserve Some Emergency Measures Like Outdoor Dining, Remote Meetings. [Read more.]( Massachusetts Ends COVID-19 Vaccine Preregistration Site. [Read more.]( See WBUR's full coronavirus coverage [here](. What We're Reading - Asian American Financial Success Is A Myth Reinforced By Flawed Government Data ([GBH]( - As Harvard Case Looms at Supreme Court, Study Tests Value of Diversity ([The New York Times]( - He wrote inspirational messages on a chalkboard every day during the pandemic. Now, he’s symbolically retiring the sign ([The Boston Globe]( Tell Me Something Good [‘For My People’: A Transgender Woman In N.H. Pursues An Olympic Dream (New York Times)]( "CeCe Telfer, the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA title, is aiming to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials in the 400-meter hurdles. Her biggest obstacle, for now, is a lack of training facilities." Before you go: Necco wafers will[outlast us all.]( 😎 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? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all editorial newsletters.]( Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2021 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. You signed up for this newsletter at wbur.org. Our mailing address is: WBUR-FM 890 Commonwealth AveBoston, MA 02215-1205 [Add us to your address book](