2 to 3 nurses per day face assaults at Mass. General

Also: A tough week for the T; Senate committee split over U.S. attorney nom for Rollins ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( October 1, 2021 Good Morning Boston, 🌞 Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. I hope you had a better week than the MBTA. Here's what you should know this morning: - In the last seven days, the MBTA has dealt with a [derailment]( on the Red Line and an [escalator accident]( the Orange Line. Now, a Louisiana family injured during the latter Sunday accident is suing the T and the contractor responsible for maintaining the machines. Nine people were brought to the hospital that day, including this family of four treated for fractures and lacerations. The T is still looking into what exactly happened. - All of this sparked calls from advocate group Transit is Essential for Massachusetts to better invest in the T and its infrastructure. Here are their wants: For Gov. Charlie Baker to appoint a new board that will supervise the MBTA, and for state officials to push through more funding for the T. Funding – or lack thereof – is definitely a problem that's been worsening in the pandemic. A [report from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation]( finds the T could soon face an annual $1.25 billion budget gap for its capital and operating needs. - Booster shots are rolling out and state data shows more than 180,000 have already been administered. A reminder: People who got the Pfizer vaccine, are 65 and older, are at high risk for getting COVID, or are frontline health care workers or school staff are eligible for the third shot. - Good news for riders using the MBTA's service for people with disabilities. Starting today, The Ride can take you to and from Logan Airport for free, as long as your other destination has a subway stop near by. This now aligns with the Silver Line's free bus service that already runs from Logan to South Station. - ICYMI: After nearly 170 years in Springfield, Smith & Wesson, a major firearms manufacturer, said it’s [moving its headquarters to Tennessee](. The company said it's making the move because of pending legislation in the state that would essentially ban the manufacturing of military-style rifles here. But the move also means hundreds of jobs will be lost. - The GOAT returns to Foxborough this weekend. On Sunday, former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will play in his first game at Gillette Stadium since he left the team for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm personally still very torn about who to root for. - The Topsfield Fair is back today. It was canceled last year due to the pandemic. Masks will be required inside buildings, and if you've been sick in the last 24 hours, organizers ask that you stay home. Fair officials also said they're short on staffing for the first time ever, so if you're going, please be patient and kind to workers. (Actually, please do that even if you're not going to the fair! The service industry is so tough right now.) - Congrats to the Boston University class of 2020, who will finally get their in-person commencement today. It's a big achievement worth celebrating! P.S.– As I'm sure you've noticed, this newsletter is free – that's part of fulfilling our mission to serve and inform the public. But that is only possible because we're funded by voluntary contributions from readers like you. If you're able, would you consider giving [$5 per month]( to support this work? To put that in perspective, this breaks down to about $0.25 per WBUR Today newsletter. And while that may feel like a modest amount, it will make a meaningful difference to WBUR and help us keep this newsletter free for all, regardless of the ability to donate. I'm biased, but I think that's a pretty good deal and a great way to pay it forward. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[At Mass. General Hospital, 2 to 3 nurses per day face assaults]( These incidents, which can range from a shove or a kick to verbal harassment and even threats by patients, are likely being undercounted, according to hospital officials. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [FEMA overhauls flood insurance rates nationwide]( Thousands of Massachusetts homeowners could see major changes to their flood insurance rates starting today. FEMA estimates most will see decreases or modest increases. But 12% will see a hike of more than $120 a year. [Read more.]( 3. [Pelosi delays a vote on infrastructure as Democrats haggle over larger spending bill]( Pelosi, who had said her plan was to hold the vote Thursday, made the call to pull the vote after talks that stretched into the night yielded no deal. [Read more.]( 4. [Senate committee split over U.S. attorney nomination for Rollins]( After fiery debate where some committee members called Rollins "a radical" who is trying to "destroy the criminal justice system from within," the Judiciary Committee voted 11-11, along party lines, on her nomination to become U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. [Read more.]( 5. [Ex-trooper indicted for kicking handcuffed suspect in head]( A grand jury in Suffolk County indicted Paul Conneely, a 51 year-old Boston resident, on a single count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - The holiday season may be filled with [fewer and pricier toys](. Toy-makers are saying their supplies are caught up in the traffic jam of container ships waiting to get into U.S. ports. - Have you missed going to plays? Here are [18 local theater productions]( to see this fall. - As COVID set in, I had all of the empathy but nothing that felt like wisdom, writes Dorothy Novick, a primary care pediatrician, [in this commentary](. It turns out that even without so much knowing, there’s plenty of care we can give. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen ['Me Too' founder Tarana Burke says Black girls' trauma shouldn't be ignored]( [Listen]( ARTERY 25 [Meet The ARTery 25 — Artists Of Color Transforming The Cultural Landscape]( Restaurateur Biplaw Rai Creates Community Through Food. [Read more.]( For Multimedia Artist Nicole L'Huillier, Sound Is A Portal For Change. [Read more.]( Mezzo Soprano Haydee Irizarry Is Shifting The Sound Of Heavy Metal. [Read more.]( The ARTery's weekly newsletter is your essential connection to Boston's arts and culture scene. [Sign up here.]( A MESSAGE FROM WBUR Endless Thread is back! And diving deep into pop culture's favorite internet medium, memes. Hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson, WBUR's Endless Thread podcast is launching a new series focusing on the origin, manipulation and cultural impact of memes — pop culture’s amusing way of communicating both far-out and common ideas. Debuting today, Oct. 1, the meme series will cover everything from “Kilroy Was Here” and “Rick Rolling” to the impact of memes using images taken out of context. Listen [here](. What We're Reading - The Barrel That Could Save A Forest ([Gastropod]( - The ‘wellness gobbledygook’ that helped me catch my breath ([The Boston Globe]( - Everything We Just Learned From ‘Controlling Britney Spears’ and ‘Britney vs Spears’ ([KQED]( Tell Me Something Good [Fat Bear Week is here. Take a look at what to expect and how you can celebrate]( The participating bears are matched against each other in a March Madness-style competition (single-elimination), where online visitors can vote for a Fat Bear Week 2021 champion. 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