Buying blind: The controversial rise of walk-and-talks

Also: Michelle Wu stands by her DA pick; what's next for the "Indigo Line" [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 10, 2022 ☀️ Sunny and breezy, with a high near 59. Good Morning Boston, OK, one more shameless plug! Our new pop-up newsletter "[Cooked: the search for sustainable eats]( launches today. It's about food and climate change; and believe me, it's as fun as it is informative! You'll even get some great recipes. [Sign up here]( Now, to the news: - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is standing with her pick in the Suffolk County district attorney's race, despite criticism from the man currently holding the position. That's just one of the takeaways from [Wu's appearance on Radio Boston's 11 a.m. debut yesterday](. - What happened? Wu endorsed her former City Council colleague Ricardo Arroyo over the weekend in the Democratic primary to be the Boston area's top prosecutor. However, that move was quickly hit with criticism from the current interim DA Kevin Hayden — appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker to serve the rest of [U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins]( term. He called Arroyo a "[novice attorney with zero public safety experience]( - But on Radio Boston, Wu called that line of criticism "code and signal for upholding the status quo." She argued that Arroyo was more positioned to continue Rollins's reform-minded policies, like [not prosecuting low-level offenses](. - Patio season [may have begun in the North End]( but the fight over Wu's outdoor dining fees for the neighborhood isn't over for some restauranteurs. Four owners filed a lawsuit yesterday arguing that the city's $7,500 fee violates the Constitution's commerce clause. They're seeking $1.5 million in damages. - In Worcester, the city is rolling two new initiatives for Mental Health Awareness Month. The first is a program teaching high school students about mental illness and careers in behavioral health to combat stigmas around the subject. The second, which has [been in the works since last year]( is a program that will send social workers to respond to certain 911 calls — similar to [the "co-response" programs in Boston]( and [several Western Massachusetts towns](. - It's not quite "[Indigo Line]( levels, but bolstered service on the MBTA's Fairmount commuter rail line is here to stay. Local officials will gather this afternoon in Dorchester to officially announce that [the Fairmount pilot launched in 2020]( which added eight additional trips so that trains run every 45 minutes between Readville and South Station, will be made permanent. - The backstory: Local elected officials have long pointed to improving Fairmount Line service as [a matter of equity]( it runs through parts of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park that aren't otherwise well-served by the T's subway lines. Residents along the corridor also tend to be lower-income and face [some of the longest commutes in Boston](. - What's next: Transit advocates have long called for [the Fairmount Line to be electrified]( and run more frequently, similar to the MBTA's subway lines (hence the Indigo Line moniker). The pilot does allow riders to use CharlieCards at most of the Fairmount line's Boston stops, but there's a lot of work — and hundreds of millions of dollars — between the current 45-minute intervals and the rapid transit-like frequencies advocates want to see. - In related news, it might be a good idea to take public transit if you can; Massachusetts gas prices have rebounded back above their peak levels from this past March. According to AAA, the average price of gas in Massachusetts has now risen to $4.43 a gallon, 18 cents higher than last week. It's also above — and has risen quicker than — the national $4.37 per gallon average. - AAA spokeswoman Mary Maguire told WBUR's Matt Ledin the reason is a combination of still-high crude oil and "strong demand here in Massachusetts." And we still haven't hit what's known as summer driving season, which typically begins around Memorial Day. You can follow the week-by-week trends [here with our new gas price tracker](. - Diesel has also hit a record of $6.27 a gallon, which is more than double what it was a year ago. Kevin Weeks, the executive director of the Trucking Association of Massachusetts, told Ledin the soaring expenses are exacerbating the truck driver shortage and could further hamper the supply chain. P.S.— The Northern Lights made [an appearance yesterday in New England]( — yes, New England! Stunning stuff as always. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [In a frenzied home-buying market, rushed and unregulated inspections are rising]( These “soft” inspections, or “walk-and-talks," are leaving buyers at risk. [Read more.]( [In a frenzied home-buying market, rushed and unregulated inspections are rising]( These “soft” inspections, or “walk-and-talks," are leaving buyers at risk. [Read more.]( [Senate passes bill to give police protection to families of Supreme Court justices]( The bill follows [a leak last week]( of a draft Supreme Court opinion that, if unchanged, would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that federally legalized abortions. [Read more.]( [Senate passes bill to give police protection to families of Supreme Court justices]( The bill follows [a leak last week]( of a draft Supreme Court opinion that, if unchanged, would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that federally legalized abortions. [Read more.]( [Immigrants are 80% more likely to start businesses in the U.S. than native-born citizens, study finds]( Immigrants are 80% more likely than native-born citizens to start a business, according to a new study co-authored by MIT. [Read more.]( [Immigrants are 80% more likely to start businesses in the U.S. than native-born citizens, study finds]( Immigrants are 80% more likely than native-born citizens to start a business, according to a new study co-authored by MIT. [Read more.]( [The ripple effects of Russia's war in Ukraine are changing the world]( Stores running out of cooking oil. Gas prices soaring. Farmers scrambling for fertilizer. Nations rethinking alliances. We zoom in on the war's seismic, far-reaching repercussions. [Read more.]( [The ripple effects of Russia's war in Ukraine are changing the world]( Stores running out of cooking oil. Gas prices soaring. Farmers scrambling for fertilizer. Nations rethinking alliances. We zoom in on the war's seismic, far-reaching repercussions. [Read more.]( [Wu says Engagement Center near 'Mass. and Cass' will operate on 'limited basis']( Although its been open for just a few months, the center will now be operating on a limited basis after it was temporarily closed following nearby violence, according to Mayor Michelle Wu. [Read more.]( [Wu says Engagement Center near 'Mass. and Cass' will operate on 'limited basis']( Although its been open for just a few months, the center will now be operating on a limited basis after it was temporarily closed following nearby violence, according to Mayor Michelle Wu. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The 2022 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced yesterday. Here's [who won in the journalism categories — and why](. - Leigh Gilmore [argues in this commentary]( that "nothing about women’s economic, educational, social or legal attainment" over the past 50 year-span is separable from the right to abortion. - Before the French Open starts later this month, [meet the 19-year-old tennis phenom who's taking down the sport's top players](.  What We're Reading 📚 - Aren’t we special? Dissecting Massachusetts exceptionalism ([CommonWealth Magazine]( - The Great Rage ([The Atlantic]( - A solar battle in sleepy Wareham is pitting environmentalists against each other ([The Boston Globe](  Food for Thought [Exploring New England's food scene through photos]( WBUR photographer Jesse Costa vividly captured the spirit and people of our local food community for our new "Cooked" newsletter. Here are just a few of our favorite photos. [Read more.]( [Exploring New England's food scene through photos]( WBUR photographer Jesse Costa vividly captured the spirit and people of our local food community for our new "Cooked" newsletter. Here are just a few of our favorite photos. [Read more.]( Before you go: "[Still holding the line]( 😎 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.