Fresh ink 🖊️

Also: U.S. kills top al-Qaida leader; monkeypox controversy [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 2, 2022 ☀️ Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Good Morning Boston, It's official: Last month was [one of the hottest and driest Julys]( in Boston's recorded history. And we have another hot week ahead, with temperatures potentially topping 100 in [many cities and towns across Massachusetts]( on Thursday. But first, slow down and catch up on the day's news (seriously, [you in the orange Corvette]( slow down): - Gov. Charlie Baker is going to need a set of fresh pens. He has a bevy of decisions to make, after Massachusetts lawmakers extended the final day of the legislative session by nearly 24 hours to pass a slew of major bills Monday. Baker now has 10 days to sign or veto the bills, and since formal sessions are officially over, the usually veto-proof Democratic majority in the State House won't be able to override Baker. That means waiting until the new governor next year if the two sides are at odds over something controversial. (They can still work together on changes during informal sessions if no one disagrees.) - What's on Baker's desk: The governor will need to decide on bills to [tweak the state's gun licensing process]( [legalize betting on professional and college sports]( [expand mental health access]( [invest in infrastructure]( and [a reworked climate bill](. We'll have more on these bills and their impacts if and when they pass. - Two items off Baker's plate: Simulcasting and Soldier's Homes. Baker signed ([another]( yearlong extension Monday of a law that allows bets on in-person and simulcast horse racing in Massachusetts — just hours before scheduled races began at the at Plainridge Park casino. Meanwhile, legislators accepted Baker's [proposed amendments]( to a bill to reform oversight of the state's two veterans' homes. - Boaters in Boston Harbor captured a rare sight on video yesterday: [a breaching humpback whale](. And if it seems like there's been [a lot of whale activity in local waters]( lately, that's no coincidence. - Humpback whales typically migrate north to more nutrient-rich waters during the summer (before going south in the winter to mate). Laura Howes, the director of research and education at the New England Aquarium, told WBUR's Fausto Menard that this time of year is best time to spot a humpback around Boston, when they're likely feeding on fish near the surface of the water. Just make sure to [keep your distance]( P.S.— The Massachusetts House and Senate both [spent nearly 24 straight hours in session]( until the final gavel sounded late yesterday morning. If any tired legislators are reading this, I'll just leave this right here: [NPR LifeKit's guide to better sleep](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [The U.S. has killed top al-Qaida leader and key 9/11 plotter, Ayman al-Zawahiri]( President Joe Biden said a strike carried out by the U.S. has killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, a top Al-Qaida leader and key plotter in the 9/11 attacks. [Read more.]( [The U.S. has killed top al-Qaida leader and key 9/11 plotter, Ayman al-Zawahiri]( President Joe Biden said a strike carried out by the U.S. has killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, a top Al-Qaida leader and key plotter in the 9/11 attacks. [Read more.]( [There are a slew of significant primaries Tuesday. Here's what we're watching for]( Election deniers, abortion and Trump's rampage against Republicans who voted to impeach him. It's a busy first primary night in August in five states, including battleground Arizona. [Read more.]( [There are a slew of significant primaries Tuesday. Here's what we're watching for]( Election deniers, abortion and Trump's rampage against Republicans who voted to impeach him. It's a busy first primary night in August in five states, including battleground Arizona. [Read more.]( [Boston mourns Celtics legend and civil rights icon Bill Russell]( Basketball fans, athletes and elected leaders are mourning the death of Celtics great Bill Russell. The NBA legend and civil rights advocate died Sunday at the age of 88. [Read more.]( [Boston mourns Celtics legend and civil rights icon Bill Russell]( Basketball fans, athletes and elected leaders are mourning the death of Celtics great Bill Russell. The NBA legend and civil rights advocate died Sunday at the age of 88. [Read more.]( [Critics say 'monkeypox' is a racist name. But it's not going away anytime soon]( Scientists call the name "discriminatory and stigmatizing." The World Health Organization agrees. But no progress has been made on finding a new name. And some say the name doesn't need changing. [Read more.]( [Critics say 'monkeypox' is a racist name. But it's not going away anytime soon]( Scientists call the name "discriminatory and stigmatizing." The World Health Organization agrees. But no progress has been made on finding a new name. And some say the name doesn't need changing. [Read more.]( [People who want to visit the world's tallest living tree now risk a $5,000 fine]( Hyperion, the world’s tallest living tree, has suffered due to damage to its habitat. Now, prospective visitors face a $5,000 fine and six months in jail. [Read more.]( [People who want to visit the world's tallest living tree now risk a $5,000 fine]( Hyperion, the world’s tallest living tree, has suffered due to damage to its habitat. Now, prospective visitors face a $5,000 fine and six months in jail. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Why is the "American Dream" more attainable in some cities than in others? Planet Money explains [how a new study from the "Beyoncé of economics" sheds light on an underrated factor: friendships](. - Theater critic Terry Byrne [writes that the new play "can i touch it?" at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester]( "sparkles" when it sticks to the characters, but ultimately tries to cover too much ground. - Nikki Greene [writes in this commentary]( that unpaid internships in the art world come not only at a cost to students — but also the institutions that offer them. - Researchers [recently caught a Greenland shark]( — one of the world's longest-living animals — in the West Caribbean, evidence that the fascinating creatures may be present in more areas than we thought.  What We're Reading 📚 - Will the cost of housing tank the Massachusetts economy? ([The Boston Globe]( - “I’m Gonna Be Open Even If Sometimes That’s Messy”: How Sally Buzbee Is Putting Her Stamp on ‘The Washington Post’ ([Vanity Fair]( - Reintroducing Sam Sanders ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Last Conviction in Salem Witch Trials Is Cleared 329 Years Later (The New York Times)]( Elizabeth Johnson Jr. is — officially — not a witch, thanks to the efforts of an eighth-grade civics teacher and her students. [Read more.]( [Last Conviction in Salem Witch Trials Is Cleared 329 Years Later (The New York Times)]( Elizabeth Johnson Jr. is — officially — not a witch, thanks to the efforts of an eighth-grade civics teacher and her students. [Read more.]( Before you go: A little jealous of [the life of the MFA's museum dog](. 😎 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.