Baby steps: Mass. moving toward child care action

Also: The Starbucks unionization movement hits Mass.; a guide to local abortion clinics [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  April 12, 2022 ☁️ Cloudy with scattered showers in the morning and a high of 70. Good Morning Boston, Happy Tuesday, and shout out to Newton's Veronica Burton — the daughter of [a certain local newscaster]( — for getting [picked seventh overall]( in last night's WNBA draft. Onto the news: - Massachusetts lawmakers are looking to do something about the sky-high price of child care in the state. House leaders unveiled a plan Monday to invest $110 million into the early education sector as part of the state's annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year. - The details: The proposal mostly focuses on providing assistance to the sector's strained workforce, rather than direct support for families. [According to State House News Service]( $60 million will go toward increasing salaries for teachers and staff at subsidized providers. The rest will go toward grants for programs like Head Start, outreach efforts and financial assistance so that child care workers can afford their own child care and pay for higher education. - The proposed investments are just a fraction of what some say is needed to address the larger structural issues. [According a recent special legislative commission report]( Massachusetts is the second most expensive state in the country for child care, averaging $20,000 a year for infant care and nearly $15,000 a year for 4-year-olds. Additionally, the state lost about 17% of its programs since the beginning of the pandemic, making quality programs harder to find. The report said it would take $1.5 billion a year over some time to fully fix the crisis. - House Speaker Ron Mariano said they "could not handle" that price tag "all at once," according to SHNS. But he added that the new proposal could have some immediate impact. - The Boston Symphony Orchestra is canceling its upcoming European tour, due to the disruption of rising COVID cases overseas — as well as within its own ranks. - WBUR's Andrea Shea reports that 31 BSO players have recently gotten sick with COVID, though none severely (the orchestra requires all members to be vaccinated). - A national shortage of baby formula is [resulting in empty shelves at many retailers]( — and forcing some stores to limit the amount customers can buy in a single purchase. For example, Walgreens is restricting all infant and toddler formula purchases to three per transaction. - Attention Blue Line riders: the MBTA is planning to shut down large swaths of the Blue Line during [two separate multi-week stretches this spring]( after postponing a previously planned suspension earlier this month to give riders more time to prepare. - The first closure: Between April 25 and May 8, free buses will replace Blue Line service between Airport and Bowdoin as crews do [repair work on the harbor tunnel](. Riders can also take [a ferry]( between Lewis Mall near Maverick station to Long Wharf if they show their CharlieCard or ticket. - The second closure: From May 12 to May 29, free buses will substitute service between Orient Heights and Wonderland stations to accommodate work on the Suffolk Downs pedestrian bridge. - MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak says he knows the diversions can be "an inconvenience," but that they allow the T "to expedite critical tunnel and infrastructure work." - A sure sign of spring: The Swan Boats will return to Boston's Public Garden this Saturday for their 145th season, and will remain on the water into September. - Did you know: the oldest — and smallest — boat in the fleet has been around for 112 years? That's older than Fenway Park! P.S. — The Moth's StorySLAM series [returns to WBUR CitySpace tonight]( open to anyone with a five-minute story on the night’s theme: books. Come tell a story… or just enjoy the show! Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Abortion rights advocates create guide to clinics that do and do not offer abortions]( An abortion advocacy group has created a new online resource guide to abortion care, clinics and financial assistance across New England. Advocates say it will help distinguish between clinics that offer abortions and those that oppose them. [Read more.]( [Abortion rights advocates create guide to clinics that do and do not offer abortions]( An abortion advocacy group has created a new online resource guide to abortion care, clinics and financial assistance across New England. Advocates say it will help distinguish between clinics that offer abortions and those that oppose them. [Read more.]( [2 Boston-area Starbucks become first of chain's Mass. stores to unionize]( A Starbucks in Allston and another in Brookline became the first of the coffee giant’s stores to unionize in Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [2 Boston-area Starbucks become first of chain's Mass. stores to unionize]( A Starbucks in Allston and another in Brookline became the first of the coffee giant’s stores to unionize in Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [State prison system uses 'unreliable' drug test to screen mail in violation of court order, complaint says]( The Department of Correction has been using an unreliable drug test to screen prisoners’ mail in violation of a court order, according to a lawsuit brought by attorneys on behalf of prisoners. [Read more.]( [State prison system uses 'unreliable' drug test to screen mail in violation of court order, complaint says]( The Department of Correction has been using an unreliable drug test to screen prisoners’ mail in violation of a court order, according to a lawsuit brought by attorneys on behalf of prisoners. [Read more.]( [How soaring inflation forces stark choices on low-income Americans]( Inflation likely hit another 40-year high in March. Rising prices are especially hard on low-income people, who spend more of their money on necessities. [Read more.]( [How soaring inflation forces stark choices on low-income Americans]( Inflation likely hit another 40-year high in March. Rising prices are especially hard on low-income people, who spend more of their money on necessities. [Read more.]( [Russia's Plan A in Ukraine failed. Here's what Plan B could look like]( Ukraine's military has fought so effectively that Russia abandoned its initial plan, which envisioned a quick takeover of Kyiv. Now Russia has a new approach, which focuses on eastern Ukraine. [Read more.]( [Russia's Plan A in Ukraine failed. Here's what Plan B could look like]( Ukraine's military has fought so effectively that Russia abandoned its initial plan, which envisioned a quick takeover of Kyiv. Now Russia has a new approach, which focuses on eastern Ukraine. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - In the first installment of our new bi-weekly book series, WBUR fellow Lauren Williams [recommends three reads on the theme of "bearing witness."]( - As the future of the "Fearless Girl" statue is debated in New York, Todd Fine [writes in this commentary]( that Boston-based State Street shouldn't have such power over a public monument. - Elizabeth Sweet [writes in this commentary]( that the Biden administration's quick response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis begs the question: Why didn't Haitians and Afghans get similar treatment? - Are you headed back to the office this spring? The folks at NPR have [created Bingo cards with all the misadventures you may encounter returning from WFH life](. Loser has to clean the fridge! What We're Reading 📚 - Kamala Harris, Marty Walsh and the unlikely bonds of politics ([The Washington Post]( - A secret plan, a bombshell lawsuit and a soccer match: Inside Tom Brady’s un-retirement ([The Boston Globe]( - Santa is running. And Santa’s serious ([Anchorage Daily News]( PSA [So, you want to buy an electric car (The Boston Globe)]( Here are five things to know before you buy an electric vehicle in Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [So, you want to buy an electric car (The Boston Globe)]( Here are five things to know before you buy an electric vehicle in Massachusetts. [Read more.]( Before you go: At least there are worse things than "[Boston pizza]( 😎 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   Want to change how you receive these emails? 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