Twice As Likely To Be Evicted: Mass. Renters On South Coast

Also: A wave of new boaters led to more accidents, safety issues; WBUR's new interactive 9/11 memorial map ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( September 8, 2021 Good Morning Boston, 🌞 Sunny, with a high near 84. I hope you get to ["use your mind and take a step at a time"]( in whatever challenging task you're taking on today. Before you get going, here's some local news you should know: - As students go back to school, some parents aren't pleased to be sending their kids back into the classroom during a pandemic. On Tuesday, a group of Boston parents – most of whom have kids with complex medical conditions – [held a virtual rally]( to protest the district’s lack of remote learning options. Boston's school year starts tomorrow. - Worcester is settling a nearly three-decade long court battle that alleged the city discriminated against two Black police officers by not promoting them because of their race. Worcester will pay $1.5 million, according to the [Telegram & Gazette](. An important note: In 2015, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination found the city did in fact discriminate against the officers. - As of this Thursday, the Essex County Sheriff's Department will [no longer accept personal mail]( people incarcerated in its facilities. It's instead moving to a digital delivery system in which letters must first be sent to a Missouri P.O. box to be scanned into a computer file. - PSA: The RMV is expanding in-person services later this month at 20 locations, including Braintree, Brockton, Lawrence, Watertown and Worcester. You can make appointments starting Sept. 20. - Are you a registered voter? If you want to vote by mail in next Tuesday's preliminary elections, you have to apply by the end of the day. That means your application arrives at local election offices by 5 p.m. Do NOT time-stamp your application for today's date and send it by snail mail. - By the numbers: Just over 600 people are now hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state. That's double the number in the last month and the highest since April. The promising news is that the average seven-day positive test rate has slowly ticked down over the last few weeks to 2.32%. There are more than 4,000 breakthrough cases across the state. While it may sound like a lot, it's really only a tiny fraction of residents who are fully vaccinated. (Here's your weekly reminder to protect yourself from COVID-19 by getting your shots.) P.S.– This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11. If you're looking for a way to honor the victims and first responders who were killed or hurt – physically or mentally – in these attacks, Massachusetts is home to dozens of memorials. The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund keeps a running list, informed by news articles and family members. We've taken that list and turned it into an interactive map so you can find a memorial in a community close by, get the address and know what to expect to see when you get there. If we missed a memorial, please [let us know here]( – we'll be sure to add it. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[With Surge In New Boaters, Some Worry About Safety On The Seas]( More people on the water has led to more accidents. The Coast Guard reports a 25% jump from 2019 to 2020 nationwide. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Mass. Renters On The South Coast Were Twice As Likely To Be Evicted, Despite Federal Moratorium]( More than 14,000 households in Massachusetts faced eviction cases in court during the pandemic. But the Southeast Housing Court — a regional jurisdiction with courthouses in Plymouth, Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford — stands out as the state’s toughest court for tenants during this time. [Read more.]( 3. [Suffolk DA Asks For New Trial In Rape Case Over Destroyed Evidence, ID Concerns]( District Attorney Rachael Rollins says she agrees with Tyrone Clark that he should get a new trial for the 1973 rape. Her position is buoyed by the victim of the rape, who has come forward to express her own doubts about Clark's guilt. [Read more.]( 4. [Biden Pledged To End The Forever Wars, But He Might Just Be Shrinking Them]( Critics — and even some Biden allies — question whether the "forever wars" are truly over. The president may have shrunk the wars, they say, but he has not ended them, nor are they confident he can without the backing of Congress and the public. [Read more.]( 5. [Britney Spears' Father Has Filed A Petition To End Her Conservatorship]( "If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance." [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Fire departments across Massachusetts face a "daunting" task: replace the foams they use to fight fires caused by fuels or other flammable liquids. Why? The foams are often [contaminated with PFAs.]( - Good news: A series of new studies has found that some people have a ["superhuman" immunity]( to COVID-19. - Paul Evans was the Boston Police Department commissioner on Sept. 11, 2001. He [spoke with WBUR's Steve Brown]( the attacks and the aftermath. - If the chaos and tragedy of Sept. 11 gave me a voice, it also gave Afghan women the opportunity to be seen and heard, [writes Susan Retik]( whose husband died on that day. Now that the U.S. is gone, their voices may be softer, and harder to hear. But it’s our responsibility to keep listening. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [On Point | The Longest War: What The Future Looks Like For Women In Afghanistan]( [Listen]( COVID-19 RESOURCES [Here Are Mass. Cities And Towns With Mask Mandates]( Use These 6 Expert Tips To Find The Best Masks For Your Kids. [Read more.]( 6 Things To Know If You're Immunocompromised And Considering A 3rd Shot. [Read more.]( CHARTS: Mass. Vaccine Tracking And COVID Case Counts. [Read more.]( Want more information? See [WBUR's full coronavirus coverage](. What We're Reading - Here’s why people are having trouble finding quarters to do laundry ([Boston.com]( - Hundreds of PPP Loans Went to Fake Farms in Absurd Places ([ProPublica]( - Adult Swim: How an Animation Experiment Conquered Late-Night TV ([The New York Times]( Tell Me Something Good [This New England Cider Doughnut Google Map Has Been Updated For The Fall]( There are more than 191 locations on the above interactive map – and it's growing! WBUR's Sharon Brody wrote about it and her love for cider doughnuts last fall. Whether you read it in 2020 or you missed it, her story is [worth the read.]( Before you go: [#Innovation.]( Correction: In yesterday's newsletter, we included a typo and incorrectly stated that billionaire investor Gerald Chan donated $75 million to the UMass Medical School in Worcester. He's donating $175 million. We regret the error! 😎 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? 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