BA.2 variant now dominant in Mass.

Also: How students are adjusting to mask-optional life; the effort to green the state's building code, explained [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 18, 2022 ⛅ Mostly cloudy, before getting sunny later, with a high of 74. Good Morning Boston, TGIF! It's going to be a beautiful one out there today (at least once [this spooky morning fog]( lifts). If you don't have plans for when the sun goes down, WBUR CitySpace is [hosting a free screening of the HBO documentary "Undercurrent"]( about the disappearance and murder of journalist Kim Wall, followed by a live discussion with filmmaker Erin Lee Car. Now, to the news: - Could the current COVID-19 wave in Europe be a precursor for another surge on this side of the Atlantic? WBUR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports that BA.2 — the omicron variant cousin believed to be driving Europe's wave — is now dominant in Massachusetts. - [COVID rates]( across the board remain low in Massachusetts, after dropping off sharply since the omicron peak. However, Boston-area [wastewater data]( a slight uptick in infections in recent days. - BA.2 accounts for just over 20% of all cases in the U.S., but models show it's at 50% in Massachusetts. Local epidemiologists say to keep a close eye on the data in the next few weeks, since previous waves in Europe have been an early signal of what's to come here. - Massachusetts health officials are also raising concerns about a local uptick in another virus that's been around for much longer: HIV. According to the state's Department of Public Health, there were nearly 60 new HIV infections last year among people injecting drugs in Boston. The recent uptick accounts for a third of all cases since 2018, when officials began tracking the cluster. - DPH says the presence of fentanyl is contributing to the increase (people are injecting and sharing needles more often). - Massachusetts is moving to ensure braid bans are a thing of the past. The House unanimously passed a bill Thursday forbidding employers and schools in the state from discriminating based on a person's natural hair texture and type, including banning braids, locks or twists that disproportionately affect people of color. - The legislation comes after a Malden charter school [came under scrutiny in 2017]( for banning braids with extensions. - North of the border: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is [pledging to veto the proposed U.S. congressional map]( drawn by fellow Republicans in the state's legislature. - The dramatically redrawn maps would [move over a quarter of the state's population into a new congressional district in order to give Republicans a better shot of winning the state's 1st District]( sparking accusations of partisan gerrymandering. - New Hampshire's state Senate narrowly passed the map Thursday, along mostly party lines. But Sununu says he will "veto it as soon as it reaches [his] desk." - See you online: More than 20 local newspapers owned by Gannett — from the Newton Tab to the Weston Town Crier — will shut down their print editions by early May, shifting entirely to digital formats. - The Boston Business Journal [reports]( that some of the papers will also merge, as part of the unfortunate larger trend of declining town-by-town news outlets. - The Dorchester Heights Monument, a 115-foot marble tower overlooking South Boston commemorating Evacuation Day, is [getting some well-needed repairs, thanks to a $25 million restoration effort by the National Parks Service](. - The 120-year-old monument was one of 75 national sites (out of 400 applicants) selected for federal funding. The tower and park will close to the public for about 18 months while crews work on the "difficult" task of stabilizing the structure. But the tower — and its sweeping views — should be restored by the summer of 2026, just in time for the country's 250th birthday. P.S.— A new music venue is opening up in Boston and it's named after an iconic local song. Do you know what it's called? Then take [our Boston News Quiz]( and test your knowledge of the local stories we covered this week. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Mass. is drafting a new climate-friendly building code. Here's what you need to know]( Building codes can be a wonky subject. But if you’re concerned about climate change and want to understand a very powerful tool Massachusetts has to fight it, we’ve got you covered. [Read more.]( [Mass. is drafting a new climate-friendly building code. Here's what you need to know]( Building codes can be a wonky subject. But if you’re concerned about climate change and want to understand a very powerful tool Massachusetts has to fight it, we’ve got you covered. [Read more.]( [With masks now optional, Mass. students are learning to adjust]( We checked in with a few kids recently to see how students are adjusting to new mask-optional policies at school. [Read more.]( [With masks now optional, Mass. students are learning to adjust]( We checked in with a few kids recently to see how students are adjusting to new mask-optional policies at school. [Read more.]( [Can Ukraine win the war? These analysts think so. Here's how it might unfold]( While many thought that the invasion would be over quickly, Ukraine is continuing to fend Russia off. Now, some analysts think Ukraine could actually win the war. [Read more.]( [Can Ukraine win the war? These analysts think so. Here's how it might unfold]( While many thought that the invasion would be over quickly, Ukraine is continuing to fend Russia off. Now, some analysts think Ukraine could actually win the war. [Read more.]( [Senior citizens serving federal sentences have fallen through the cracks]( The U.S. Parole Commission has been undercounting prisoners under its jurisdiction, the latest in a string of troubles to plague the federal agency. [Read more.]( [Senior citizens serving federal sentences have fallen through the cracks]( The U.S. Parole Commission has been undercounting prisoners under its jurisdiction, the latest in a string of troubles to plague the federal agency. [Read more.]( [Charlie Baker urges quick adoption of new $9.7 billion transportation bill]( The bill would boost the MBTA’s efforts to replace its entire Green Line trolley fleet, statewide adoption of electric vehicles and efforts to make Massachusetts infrastructure more resilient to climate change. [Read more.]( [Charlie Baker urges quick adoption of new $9.7 billion transportation bill]( The bill would boost the MBTA’s efforts to replace its entire Green Line trolley fleet, statewide adoption of electric vehicles and efforts to make Massachusetts infrastructure more resilient to climate change. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The Boston Pops will [return for their first in-person spring season in three years this May]( — and it will include performances of scores from "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars" as a tribute to composer John Williams for his 90th birthday. - Even if you're not watching it, you've probably heard of the hit Netflix reality TV show "Love is Blind." Here & Now [looked at the show's second season and the unaddressed layers that were pulled back by its more racially diverse cast](. - WBUR's arts and culture team has [14 "transformative" theatrical productions to check out this spring]( from the family-centered "Don't Eat the Mangos" to the conservation-focused "Sea Sick." - Massive tragedies, from the COVID pandemic to Russia's war on Ukraine, can make it seem like the world is falling apart. For Cognoscenti, writer Holly Robinson [argues that it's important to fight back by finding ways to celebrate being human](. What We're Reading 📚 - Everyone Was Surprised By The Senate Passing Permanent Daylight Saving Time. Especially The Senators. ([BuzzFeed News]( - ‘This is akin to a hostile takeover’ ([Tennessee Lookout]( - Inside an ugly battle over the future of Gunstock ski resort in New Hampshire ([The Boston Globe Magazine]( - Bostonian by Choice ([Boston Magazine]( Tell Me Something Good [Boston chef and restaurant owner Irene Li wins James Beard Award for leadership]( Mei Mei chef and owner Irene Li said the award comes after two years that have been "the most challenging and rewarding of my career." [Read more.]( [Boston chef and restaurant owner Irene Li wins James Beard Award for leadership]( Mei Mei chef and owner Irene Li said the award comes after two years that have been "the most challenging and rewarding of my career." [Read more.]( Before you go: Listen, [if we all chip in...]( 😎 Forward to a friend. 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