Buy the building: How artists are fighting displacement

Also: The definition of "require" & the Weymouth Compressor; pediatric medical care in Boston is consolidating [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  June 21, 2022 🌞 Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Good Morning Boston, Today will be the [longest day of the year]( with the most sunlight here on the East Coast, which means it's the perfect night for a long stroll or post-dinner visit to your local ice cream shop — either are extremely appropriate ways to officially kick off astronomical summer. Here's what else you should know today: - Transportation advocates want the MBTA to stop cutting services; the MBTA wants riders to quit cutting the fare lines. - In [yesterday's newsletter]( I explained the service cuts to the Red, Orange and Blue lines that are caused by summer staffing issues. Now, local transit advocates are pushing back, saying the cuts hit low-income riders hardest. Jarred Johnson, with the advocacy group Transit Matters, told WBUR's Jack Mitchell that there will be unintended ripple effects, including a "death spiral" drop in ridership. "When they lose that ridership, there's less money available in order to fix the system, in order to upgrade it and expand it," Johnson said. "There's less political buy-in, because they say, 'Oh, well, the ridership is low. ' " FWIW: The T says it's offering bonuses to bring on more dispatchers. - The MBTA is considering a new proposal on how to deal with riders who skip out on fares. As outlined, fare evaders would get a warning for a first time offense, but then get fined increased amounts every time they're caught after that. The teeth of the proposal: unpaid fines could prevent a person from renewing their driver's license and registration. There's a public hearing tonight to get feedback. - Also happening today: The state’s Department of Environmental Protection will hear arguments in a case about the [Weymouth Natural Gas Compressor Station]( after one of the facility's permits was invalidated by a superior court judge. The legal argument is admittedly very complicated, but as WBUR’s Miriam Wasser explains, it stems back to the definition of a single word. Here's what she said: - In 2018, the DEP agreed with the project's owners that the compressor is supplementary to an existing underwater pipeline. Because of that, it didn't need its own waterways license. But in May, a judge ruled the department used the wrong definition of "require." If this stands and the compressor isn't ancillary, it could force a "re-do" of the waterways permit. Not only is this a pain in the butt for the project's owners, but some opponents think the compressor would not meet the qualifications as a standalone facility, which could derail its ability to operate entirely. - A new report from the liquor industry trade group Off Site has found that only 2% of the liquor license holders in Boston are people of color. And in the city's most predominantly white neighborhoods, there are eight times as many liquor licenses per person as in neighborhoods where residents are predominantly of color, according to the report. - To address this inequality, city councilors are calling on lawmakers (the state controls the number of liquor licenses allowed) to distribute more liquor licenses around the city, according to [The Boston Globe](. - Prices at the pump: The average price for a gallon of gas in Massachusetts is down a penny today, averaging $5 per gallon for regular grade gas. The average price of diesel has remained flat at a whopping $6.18 per gallon. - What we're watching: President Biden says he's still considering a gas tax holiday and we should have a decision by the end of the week. More on that below. - Don't forget: You can [take a look at this chart]( to see how gas prices are changing week-to-week. We update it each Monday as AAA releases its latest data, but with the Juneteenth holiday, we're waiting for the numbers today. - PSA: The Red Cross of Massachusetts still needs more blood donors and trained staff. Fully staffing blood drives has been a big problem, and according to regional leader Robert Picard, the organization is also trying to encourage more Black residents to give blood in order to better treat people with the blood disease sickle cell anemia. You can find a blood drive near you [here](. P.S.– If the extended sunlight doesn't have you dancing today, [Beyoncé's new single, "Break My Soul"]( certainly will. It dropped last night and is the first song released from her upcoming solo album — the first since 2016. July 29 can't come soon enough! Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [To fight displacement, artists are buying up Boston real estate]( Booming development is pushing artists out of the Boston neighborhoods they helped make hip. For some, there’s only one solution: buy the building. [Read more.]( [To fight displacement, artists are buying up Boston real estate]( Booming development is pushing artists out of the Boston neighborhoods they helped make hip. For some, there’s only one solution: buy the building. [Read more.]( [Pediatric medical care in Boston is consolidating as Boston Children's expands and Tufts shrinks]( The region's biggest pediatric hospital is getting bigger while its smaller competitor closes services. [Read more.]( [Pediatric medical care in Boston is consolidating as Boston Children's expands and Tufts shrinks]( The region's biggest pediatric hospital is getting bigger while its smaller competitor closes services. [Read more.]( [Not just fun and games, Hasbro part of growing list of companies who say they're focused on social impact]( As the idea of a 21st-century company with a positive social mission takes hold, critics say it doesn’t necessarily mean businesses have fine-tuned their sense of altruism. [Read more.]( [Not just fun and games, Hasbro part of growing list of companies who say they're focused on social impact]( As the idea of a 21st-century company with a positive social mission takes hold, critics say it doesn’t necessarily mean businesses have fine-tuned their sense of altruism. [Read more.]( [You've likely been affected by climate change. Your long-term finances might be, too]( Most Americans have recently been affected by extreme weather and support efforts to protect against future disasters, a new survey finds. And many people suffer long-term financial problems. [Read more.]( [You've likely been affected by climate change. Your long-term finances might be, too]( Most Americans have recently been affected by extreme weather and support efforts to protect against future disasters, a new survey finds. And many people suffer long-term financial problems. [Read more.]( [Gas tax holiday? Biden says a decision could come by the end of the week]( Gas prices are finally dropping a bit after topping $5 per gallon, but the president says he's still considering suspending the federal gas tax, which could save Americans up to 18.4 cents per gallon. [Read more.]( [Gas tax holiday? Biden says a decision could come by the end of the week]( Gas prices are finally dropping a bit after topping $5 per gallon, but the president says he's still considering suspending the federal gas tax, which could save Americans up to 18.4 cents per gallon. [Read more.]( Triple your impact to WBUR. [Donate now]( Anything Else? - New Hampshire-based Dartmouth College is [eliminating loans from its financial aid packages](. It's instead replacing them with more grants. - We should take a moment to celebrate the end of a difficult school year, while remembering that we're still catching up, writes Dr. Molly Colvin [in this commentary.]( - A really big science story: The world's [largest recorded freshwater fish]( a giant stingray weighing in at 660 pounds, has been caught in the Mekong River in Cambodia (and yes, there is a picture).  What We're Reading 📚 - Heirlooms, Redefined ([The New York Times]( - This Texas teen wanted an abortion. She now has twins ([The Washington Post]( - The Only Woman at the ICO ([Elle](  Food For Thought [The Tastiest Food Trucks to Try Around Boston This Summer (Boston Magazine)]( A moveable feast of sunny Haitian cuisine, hot-pressed Brazilian hot dogs, and more. [Read more.]( [The Tastiest Food Trucks to Try Around Boston This Summer (Boston Magazine)]( A moveable feast of sunny Haitian cuisine, hot-pressed Brazilian hot dogs, and more. [Read more.]( Before you go: [Way better than pizza rat.]( 😎 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. 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