National Grid's fossil-free pledge takes heat

Also: What the federal mask ruling means for the MBTA and Logan; uneven mental health support for cops [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  April 19, 2022 🌧️ Rainy and windy, with a high near 55. Good Morning Boston, It may be pretty gross out today, but at least we had a picture perfect day yesterday for the first Boston Marathon on Patriots' Day in three years. Hopefully all you runners are having a restful morning (and were able to [retrieve your souls from Newton](. Here's a quick recap on the marathon, plus the rest of the day's news: - The Boston Marathon featured a thrilling women's race finish, a first-time men's race winner and two returning wheelchair division leaders continuing to triumph. If you weren't able to watch in-person or remotely, here are [the full results from the elite racers.]( - Seriously, if you didn't watch women's winner and former Olympian Peres Jepchirchir and Ethiopia's Ababel Yeshaneh final mile, [stop what you're doing and watch (it's under two minutes)](. The two runners traded places eight times in the final mile, making it a truly nail-biting sprint toward Boylston. - We all know the spirit of the Boston Marathon comes from more than the elite races. It's the energy of thousands of runners and even more fans cheering them on – and all of that was captured in [this photo roundup from the day](. - Perhaps the biggest highlight: 20-year-old Henry Richard, the older brother of 2013 marathon bombing victim Martin Richard, [crossing the finish line into the embrace of family members](. - Also spotted along the race route: former mayor Marty Walsh. The now U.S. secretary of labor was honored by the BAA on Friday with the Patriots Award for his contributions to the event. “It’s like I’m back with family,” Walsh told WBZ-TV. - Keep masking up on the MBTA and at Logan airport; neither are changing their face covering rules, despite Monday's ruling by a federal judge in Florida that [at least temporarily struck town the TSA's national mask order for public transportation systems](. - Following the ruling, Logan airport officials [reiterated]( that "masks are still required when in the airport," noting that the CDC's recommendations to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings[remain unchanged](. - But with the TSA no longer enforcing the rules, adherence is [reportedly a mixed bag at the airport this morning](. It's worth noting: even if masks are technically still required in the airport, [several major airlines]( — including Delta, United, Southwest, American and Alaska Airlines — announced they would drop their on-flight own mask requirements, too. - The MBTA also said it was [continuing to follow CDC guidance]( (although adherence on the system has been [pretty spotty for awhile now]( the T stopped issuing fines for maskless riders nearly a year ago). - President Joe Biden's administration says it's still deciding whether to appeal the judge's ruling. Officials just last week extended the mask order until May 3 to allow more time to monitor the [recent uptick in COVID cases driven by BA.2.]( - Remember [last week when I mentioned it was the deadline for a local judge's decision]( on the lawsuit against the new "right to repair" law in Massachusetts? Well, it's been delayed (again). - Judge Douglas Woodlock says he's dealing with a logjam of work due the resumption in-person court proceedings and other writing responsibilities. In[an update Friday]( ✎ EditSign , Woodlock said he'll have a ruling by July 1 at the latest. - A [new climate poll from the MassINC Polling Group out this morning]( shows that concern about climate change has dropped since 2019, even though a majority of Massachusetts residents think the impacts of climate change (heat waves, coastal flooding, more powerful storms) are likely coming to the Commonwealth in the next five years. - Still, fewer than half of residents list climate change as a high priority. "We asked people about the economy, we asked them about education and health care and fuel prices. And climate change kind of came in sort of closer to the bottom of the ranking of those things," MassINC research director Richard Parr told WBUR's Barbara Moran. P.S. — The Massachusetts State House isn't exactly known for transparency, but I enjoyed this Boston Herald about [the "secrets" of the building's golden dome](. It was also a reminder that [free guided tours]( of the State House recently resumed, if you want to learn more. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [A fossil-free National Grid? Critics call it a pipe dream.]( National Grid's “clean energy vision” includes a mix of renewable natural gas and "green" hydrogen to meet climate goals and go carbon neutral by 2050. Critics are skeptical. [Read more.]( [A fossil-free National Grid? Critics call it a pipe dream.]( National Grid's “clean energy vision” includes a mix of renewable natural gas and "green" hydrogen to meet climate goals and go carbon neutral by 2050. Critics are skeptical. [Read more.]( [Many police officers suffer trauma. But not everyone gets the mental health support they need.]( Experts say it’s common for officers to struggle emotionally after going through something traumatic, such as a shooting or the death of a child. But officers don’t always get the help they need, and many wind up resigning in the months and years that follow. [Read more.]( [Many police officers suffer trauma. But not everyone gets the mental health support they need.]( Experts say it’s common for officers to struggle emotionally after going through something traumatic, such as a shooting or the death of a child. But officers don’t always get the help they need, and many wind up resigning in the months and years that follow. [Read more.]( [Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. Experts warn COVID may face the same fate]( HIV remains a problem in the U.S. because people don't use life-saving prevention and treatments. COVID is heading down the same path. Here are insights from people fighting on the frontlines of HIV. [Read more.]( [Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. Experts warn COVID may face the same fate]( HIV remains a problem in the U.S. because people don't use life-saving prevention and treatments. COVID is heading down the same path. Here are insights from people fighting on the frontlines of HIV. [Read more.]( [Better ventilation would create a healthier workplace — but companies have to invest]( The research is clear that air exchange and filtration curb the spread of COVID and other diseases, but upgrading systems is expensive, and there is little federal authority over indoor air quality. [Read more.]( [Better ventilation would create a healthier workplace — but companies have to invest]( The research is clear that air exchange and filtration curb the spread of COVID and other diseases, but upgrading systems is expensive, and there is little federal authority over indoor air quality. [Read more.]( [InfoWars files for bankruptcy in the face of lawsuits over Sandy Hook shooting denial]( Founder Alex Jones, who's repeatedly called the 2012 shooting at a Connecticut elementary school a hoax, has been sued several times by the victims' families for defamation and emotional distress. [Read more.]( [InfoWars files for bankruptcy in the face of lawsuits over Sandy Hook shooting denial]( Founder Alex Jones, who's repeatedly called the 2012 shooting at a Connecticut elementary school a hoax, has been sued several times by the victims' families for defamation and emotional distress. [Read more.]( Outlook readers: We're having some technical difficulties, so if you're having a hard time seeing photos in today's newsletter, please click the "view in browser" link above. Thanks for your patience! Anything Else? - It's Earth Week! WBUR will have more coverage – and will be announcing a new environmental newsletter; [sign up]( – on Earth Day this Friday, April 22. But to kick us off, NPR's Life Kit team has revamped its [roundup of tips to cut carbon emissions at home.]( - People haven't been feeling so magical after eating Lucky Charms. The FDA is [investigating]( the cereal after receiving more than 100 complaints related to the brand so far this year. - Ok, so is Elon Musk actually going to be able to buy Twitter? Here's a [good NPR explainer of what could happen next]( plus the significant financing hurdles facing the mercurial billionaire. What We're Reading 📚 - Nine years after the Boston Marathon bombing, Devin Pao runs on her own terms ([ESPN]( - A Secret at the Hearth of Adams House ([The Harvard Crimson]( - BPS’s fifth director of English learners on leave, with little explanation ([The Boston Globe]( PSA [Your guide to stars and planets to scan the skies for in April]( There are some exciting celestial events happening in our solar system over the next two weeks, and Bostonians interested in a little "eyeball astronomy" will have a front-row seat. [Read more.]( [Your guide to stars and planets to scan the skies for in April]( There are some exciting celestial events happening in our solar system over the next two weeks, and Bostonians interested in a little "eyeball astronomy" will have a front-row seat. [Read more.]( Before you go: Well, [this pretty much sums up]( the magic of Marathon Monday. Senior Editor Meagan McGinnes helped write and produce this newsletter. 😎 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? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.