All aboard the "Wu train"

Also: The results of mayoral races across Mass.; meet the MFA's new fashion coordinator [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  November 2, 2021 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 52. Good Morning Boston, Boston has a new mayor-elect. [Michelle Wu]( has made history as the first woman and first person of color ever to be elected Boston mayor. She [cruised to victory Tuesday night]( after taking on fellow City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George. It was a heated race between the progressive darling and the moderate Bostonian. WBUR [senior digital editor Roberto Scalese]( was part of the election coverage team, up far later than I was last night. (Admittedly, that's not hard to do.) Here's his quick explanation of what's happened in Boston and several other local races. - Unlike Boston's last election, this was a relatively early night for the candidates (and reporters, let's be honest). But Wu wasn't involved in September's nail biter, either. She was well ahead of the scrum for second place, where Essaibi George beat out fellow Councilor Andrea Campbell and acting Mayor Kim Janey. - Wu has indeed made history, but so did Janey, who was the first woman and first person of color to serve as mayor. (Acting or not, if you're in the big chair, you deserve that recognition. [Just ask former Gov. Jane Swift](. - What's next? It's a pretty fast transition period. Wu now has just two weeks to build a team before she's sworn in as Boston's next mayor. - Results were once again slow to come out of city hall, though the informational trickle was better than the drought on the night of the preliminary. So what gives? WBUR's Walter Wuthmann reached out to the secretary of state's office, and they weren't fussed, saying there's usually a delay as precinct workers pack up and head to Government Center, where they then check in and start uploading what they have. - Down ticket, all four city council at-large seats were up for grabs, and there were several other contested city council races in Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. [Here]( are those results, minus one Boston at-large seat that hadn't been called as of sending this newsletter. - And don't forget there's a whole state just across the Charles, Mystic and Neponset rivers. Several communities elected new mayors Tuesday night, including Jared Nicholson in Lynn, Katjana Ballantyne in Somerville and Charlie Sisitsky in Framingham and Brian DePena in Lawrence. Get the latest details on those races and more [here](. Thanks, Berto! Now for a couple last big pieces of news from yesterday: - As I said in yesterday's newsletter, our eyes were also on Maine last night, specifically a ballot question that would allow voters to decide whether or not to build transmission lines that could carry hydroelectric power from Canada into New England. Well, voters [pulled the plug]( on those plans, voting "no." But it's not over yet. Central Maine Power has already spent $400 million on this $1 billion project, so it's ramping up for anticipated legal challenges. - Switching gears, many parents, guardians and others with little loved ones can take a sigh of relief this morning. The CDC yesterday [officially recommended that all children]( ages 5 through 11 get a low-dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. That means shots can be going into arms as soon as today. Officials are asking parents to be patient; it'll likely take a few days to ramp up distribution. P.S.– The World Series ended last night, and the [Atlanta Braves took the crown]( though I'm still bitter about baseball until next season. Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Michelle Wu elected as Boston's first woman mayor in historic victory]( "We are ready to be a Boston for everyone," Wu said. She is also the first person of color elected as mayor in the city's history. Her opponent conceded the race at around 10 p.m. Tuesday. [Read more.]( [Michelle Wu elected as Boston's first woman mayor in historic victory]( "We are ready to be a Boston for everyone," Wu said. She is also the first person of color elected as mayor in the city's history. Her opponent conceded the race at around 10 p.m. Tuesday. [Read more.]( [CDC recommends Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11]( CDC director Rochelle Walensky agreed with a unanimous decision of a team of advisers that the benefits outweigh the risks. [Read more.]( [CDC recommends Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11]( CDC director Rochelle Walensky agreed with a unanimous decision of a team of advisers that the benefits outweigh the risks. [Read more.]( [Despite criticism, special court sessions begin as Boston continues effort to clear tent encampment]( Just one of the three people brought to the new session was sent to treatment rather than to jail, which is supposed to be a priority for the new court and for city officials. [Read more.]( [Despite criticism, special court sessions begin as Boston continues effort to clear tent encampment]( Just one of the three people brought to the new session was sent to treatment rather than to jail, which is supposed to be a priority for the new court and for city officials. [Read more.]( [5 takeaways from Republicans' big win in Virginia and the shocker in New Jersey]( The first big electoral night of the Biden presidency provided a bad omen for Democrats in 2022, and Republicans may have found a way to campaign in the post-Trump era. [Read more.]( [5 takeaways from Republicans' big win in Virginia and the shocker in New Jersey]( The first big electoral night of the Biden presidency provided a bad omen for Democrats in 2022, and Republicans may have found a way to campaign in the post-Trump era. [Read more.]( [Inflation is at a 30-year high. Here's how the Federal Reserve plans to deal with it]( The Fed is expected to leave interest rates near zero on Wednesday, but it's likely to start removing some of the support it has provided to the economy as inflation hits its highest in 30 years. [Read more.]( [Inflation is at a 30-year high. Here's how the Federal Reserve plans to deal with it]( The Fed is expected to leave interest rates near zero on Wednesday, but it's likely to start removing some of the support it has provided to the economy as inflation hits its highest in 30 years. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Meet [theo tyson]( the MFA's new fashion curator. - Put the fork down and check your lunch! Dole salads have been [recalled]( in 10 states – including Massachusetts – due to a possible listeria risk. - Water policy should be a central concern for nations as they gather at COP26, writes Martha F. Davis [in this commentary](. Currently, the U.S. is failing to anticipate and prevent the health threats and emergencies that arise from water neglect. What We're Reading 📚 - What happens when the news desert is in your own backyard? ([Nieman Lab]( - In Maine, Moose Are Being Killed in Effort to Save Them ([The Wall Street Journal]( - How to get organized at home when you have ADHD or mental health issues ([The Washington Post]( Tell Me Something Good [A new Mastercard design is meant to make life easier for visually impaired users]( Mastercard is distributing a new bank card next year that aims to help customers with vision impairments. The card has notches cut into the sides to help customers find the right card by touch alone. [Read more.]( [A new Mastercard design is meant to make life easier for visually impaired users]( Mastercard is distributing a new bank card next year that aims to help customers with vision impairments. The card has notches cut into the sides to help customers find the right card by touch alone. [Read more.]( Before you go: ["More Massachusetts!"]( 😎 Forward to a friend. 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