Also: There's one fewer alligator in the Westfield River; stories from former switchboard operators in Maine [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser]( Â December 7, 2021Â ❄️ Snow, starting in the afternoon into the evening. A light covering to two inches. Good Morning Boston, Today is the last day of our year-end fundraiser. Help us end it successfully by [pledging your support]( This newsletter will always be free â that's a promise. But we're only able to deliver the trusted independent journalism you rely on and the informative, sometimes-comical newsletters you love because of the contributions from readers and listeners who are in a position to open their wallets and support us. So, whether you're a first-time donor, monthly sustainer or haven't given in a while, [a contribution of any amount is greatly appreciated]( and will result in a puppy. OK, not a puppy. But it does automatically enter you into a [sweepstakes to win a 2022 Lexus NX 350 Hybrid]( courtesy of the Boston Area Lexus Dealers. That's pretty cool, too. On to the news: - The first snowfall of the season is coming today. (Congrats or apologies, depending on your take on winter weather.) Any precipitation we see will be light and won't stick until this evening, [according to meteorologist Dave Epstein](. We'll be back in the 60s on Saturday, so prepare for some weather whiplash. - The omicron COVID variant has now been[reported in 50 countries and 19 states]( including Massachusetts. It's likely even more than that; health experts expect those numbers to keep going up. However, it's still too soon to know how transmissible this is compared to other variants and if it may ever become the dominant variant in the U.S. over delta.
- Bringing it back to Mass.: While not related to omicron, this is worrisome because we are already experiencing signs of a surge across the state. More than 1,100 people in Massachusetts are currently hospitalized with COVID â a number we haven't seen since February, when vaccines were still just rolling out. To put that in perspective, 92% of medical and surgical beds are occupied right now. The state Department of Public Health also reported 51 more deaths yesterday. - This surge is tied to delta, not the new variant. But we don't know enough about omicron yet to predict whether that will change. Health officials say the best way to protect yourself and others from both is to get fully vaccinated and boosted. They also suggest updating your COVID precautions by getting tested regularly and masking up indoors. - The driver involved in the Green Line trolley crash from July is due in court today. The train was going more than three times the speed limit when it rear-ended another train and injured two dozen people, according to investigators. As we hear updates about this case, we'll keep you posted. - After 27 years in prison, a wrongfully convicted Massachusetts man is free. James Lucien, 48, was serving a life sentence in connection to the 1994 fatal shooting of Ryan Edwards. The convictions were thrown out because of an improper police investigation due to a corruption scheme within the Boston Police Department. You can learn more about the case [here](. - A fraternity at the University of New Hampshire has been [temporarily suspended]( as police investigate the death of a student from Massachusetts. Vincenzo âVinny" Lirosi, 22, of Whitman, was found dead on Sunday morning. The night before he'd been to a party at the frat, got into a fight and then went missing. As of now, police don't suspect foul play. - Things I don't want to see when kayaking in Massachusetts: [an alligator](. But one adventurous man went out looking for one that had been spotted in the Westfield River since the summer and helped to capture the 3-foot gator. P.S.â Want some cool points with the teens and young adults in your life? Casually drop that you watched [Olivia Rodrigo's Tiny Desk concert]( on NPR. Hopefully they'll be impressed and not just say "good 4 u." Meagan McGinnes
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 The Rundown
[After Senate leaders broker a deal, the House takes a first step to avoid default](
Congress is setting up a complicated process that could avoid a potential federal default. [Read more.](
[After Senate leaders broker a deal, the House takes a first step to avoid default](
Congress is setting up a complicated process that could avoid a potential federal default. [Read more.](
[At a recent reunion in Maine, former operators recall the pre-smartphone era working telephone switchboards](
Until the 1970s, a switchboard operators' assistance was often needed for person-to-person, collect calls or to report a crime. And at a recent reunion in Maine, some former operators shared a few highlights about what they say was a challenging but rewarding job in a simpler time. [Read more.](
[At a recent reunion in Maine, former operators recall the pre-smartphone era working telephone switchboards](
Until the 1970s, a switchboard operators' assistance was often needed for person-to-person, collect calls or to report a crime. And at a recent reunion in Maine, some former operators shared a few highlights about what they say was a challenging but rewarding job in a simpler time. [Read more.](
[Pine Street Inn receives $15 million from Yawkey Foundation to help house people who've been chronically homeless](
The gift will help Pine Street create 400 to 500 units of permanent supportive housing, on top of the 850 it already operates. [Read more.](
[Pine Street Inn receives $15 million from Yawkey Foundation to help house people who've been chronically homeless](
The gift will help Pine Street create 400 to 500 units of permanent supportive housing, on top of the 850 it already operates. [Read more.](
[Supreme Court weighs mandating public funds for religious schools in Maine](
At issue in the case is whether the state, which pays for some students to attend non-sectarian private schools, should also pay tuition for students to attend religious schools. [Read more.](
[Supreme Court weighs mandating public funds for religious schools in Maine](
At issue in the case is whether the state, which pays for some students to attend non-sectarian private schools, should also pay tuition for students to attend religious schools. [Read more.](
[Omicron boosters are in the works, but will they be needed?](
Omicron has many more mutations than previous variants of concern, a fact that raises questions about how effective existing vaccines will be against the new form of the coronavirus. [Read more.](
[Omicron boosters are in the works, but will they be needed?](
Omicron has many more mutations than previous variants of concern, a fact that raises questions about how effective existing vaccines will be against the new form of the coronavirus. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Music writer Jim Sullivan is taking a moment to [remember Dean Johnson and Scott Alarik]( two longtime stalwarts of Bostonâs music journalism community who both died last week. - We've got an exclusive song premiere for you this morning. After a pandemic breakup, Boston indie rocker Tory Silver wants to let it all go in her new song "A Little Slower.â [Give it a listen.]( - Want to hop in a time machine and head back to the 80s? Well, we don't have that, but the Brattle Theatre does have a new movie series to do the trick.[âLetâs Hear it for 1984!â]( runs from Friday, Dec. 10 through Thursday, Dec. 23. What We're Reading 📚 - How the Supply Chain Crisis Unfolded ([The New York Times]( - How to Care Less About Work ([The Atlantic]( - From âHuckleberry Caponeâ to âTurd Blossomâ: A History of White House Nicknames ([Politico]( Life Advice
[5 tips to help you stop being so late (or at least make you more honest about it)](
People are late for lots of reasons â being overly optimistic, not accurately gauging how much time it takes to actually get somewhere, even being afraid of being early. Time management coach Rashelle Isip shares some tactics that can help you embrace punctuality and avoid that awkward apology for being tardy ... again. [Read more.](
[5 tips to help you stop being so late (or at least make you more honest about it)](
People are late for lots of reasons â being overly optimistic, not accurately gauging how much time it takes to actually get somewhere, even being afraid of being early. Time management coach Rashelle Isip shares some tactics that can help you embrace punctuality and avoid that awkward apology for being tardy ... again. [Read more.]( Before you go: doesn't love a [best local food finds]( thread? 😎 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 Â
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