Orange you glad for free T closure alternatives

Also: Northeastern farmers feeling effects of drought; Boston's new parking app [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 15, 2022 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Good Morning Boston, Enjoy this summer's final rides on the Orange Line this week. The MBTA's[30-day shutdown of the entire line]( begins this Friday night, and officials are planning to talk more about the massive diversion effort this morning at 11 a.m. - What do we know so far? The T has released [a 16-page rider's guide]( to getting around the Aug. 19-through-Sept. 18 shutdown, which also coincides with [a four-week closure of part of the Green Line]( between Government Center and Union Square (beginning next Monday). They also put it all together in [a tidy graphic](. - Shuttle buses: Free buses will replace service at most (but not all) Orange Line stops. The exceptions are State Street, Downtown Crossing, Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center stations. But the T suggests switching onto the Green Line for those downtown stops. Shuttle buses will be slower, though crews [are already at work marking temporary bus-only lanes]( in some places to lessen how often they get stuck in traffic. [The RIDE]( will also be free for trips that begin and end within ¾ mile of the Orange Line. - Commuter rail: All trips within Zone 1A, 1 and 2 will be [basically free](. You just have to show a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket. The commuter rail lines that run along the [north]( and [south]( sides of the Orange Line will also run more frequently and make extra stops. - BlueBikes: They'll [also be free]( Boston is making free 30-day passes for unlimited rides up to 45-minutes long and existing monthly passes will auto-renew for free during the shutdown. - In other transit news: Boston is launching [an updated version of its parking app today](. While the app itself should automatically update for most users, you'll need to create a new account if you used the previous version of ParkBoston to pay for meters. - The new app offers more ways to pay and can also be used for parking in [500 other cities]( including nearby Somerville. - The new platform is powered by ParkMobile, so if you have an existing account you can use those credentials to log in. - If you had money [preloaded onto the previous ParkBoston account]( city officials say you should get a refund this week. If not, send an email to parkboston@boston.gov with your account info. - Good news: We're getting a few extra weeks for outdoor dining in the North End this year. Boston city officials say they're extending the neighborhood's outdoor dining program through Sept. 30 (it was previously planned to end on Labor Day). - For other Boston neighborhoods, outdoor dining will [continue until sometime in December](. - What else is on the docket today? Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is slated to swear in [the city's new police commissioner]( Michael Cox. Listen to WBUR's Ally Jarmanning [discuss Cox's long, complicated history with the city's police force — and the job ahead of him](. - Also, Massachusetts state education officials will meet this morning to discuss [a controversial proposal]( to raise the minimum standardized test scores that high schoolers need to graduate. - The changes would take effect for the graduating class of 2026. However, nearly 100 state lawmakers [have spoken out against it](. P.S.— We're hosting [another primary debate today at WBUR CitySpace!]( The candidates? Kate Campanale and Leah Cole Allen, two former Republican lawmakers who are now running for lieutenant governor. We'll also have [a debate tomorrow]( featuring the three Democratic candidates for LG. Tickets for [both are free]( Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Northeastern farmers face new challenges with severe drought]( This summer has brought another extreme: a severe drought that is making lawns crispy and has farmers begging for steady rain. [Read more.]( [Northeastern farmers face new challenges with severe drought]( This summer has brought another extreme: a severe drought that is making lawns crispy and has farmers begging for steady rain. [Read more.]( [China announces new drills around Taiwan as a U.S. delegation visits the island]( The visit comes less than two weeks after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which prompted days of threatening military exercises by China. [Read more.]( [China announces new drills around Taiwan as a U.S. delegation visits the island]( The visit comes less than two weeks after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which prompted days of threatening military exercises by China. [Read more.]( [The IRS just got $80 billion to beef up. A big goal? Going after rich tax dodgers]( The big climate and health care bill passed by the House Friday includes billions in new funding for the IRS over the next decade. Most of that money is aimed at catching wealthy tax cheats. [Read more.]( [The IRS just got $80 billion to beef up. A big goal? Going after rich tax dodgers]( The big climate and health care bill passed by the House Friday includes billions in new funding for the IRS over the next decade. Most of that money is aimed at catching wealthy tax cheats. [Read more.]( [Lawyers for basketball star Brittney Griner appeal her Russian prison sentence]( Griner's attorney was quoted by Russian news agencies on Monday as saying the appeal was filed, but the grounds of the appeal were not immediately clear. [Read more.]( [Lawyers for basketball star Brittney Griner appeal her Russian prison sentence]( Griner's attorney was quoted by Russian news agencies on Monday as saying the appeal was filed, but the grounds of the appeal were not immediately clear. [Read more.]( [What parents, teachers and students should know about the CDC's new COVID guidelines]( Students who are exposed to COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine or get repeatedly tested to stay in class. But masks are still recommended for nearly half the country. [Read more.]( [What parents, teachers and students should know about the CDC's new COVID guidelines]( Students who are exposed to COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine or get repeatedly tested to stay in class. But masks are still recommended for nearly half the country. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The fourth and final "supermoon" was visible this past Thursday, and goodness, it was enormous. [Check out some of these surreal shots.]( - Is Massachusetts losing its competitive edge? A [new report]( suggests that the costs of housing, utilities and child care could become a more pressing problem amid the rise of remote work. - Severe drought is driving elephants closer to people in parts of Africa. That's [not a good thing](. - Salman Rushdie's family [says the author is recovering]( after being stabbed at an event Friday in New York. Iranian government officials are denying involvement in the attack, but [argue it was justified](.  What We're Reading 📚 - Matt Shearer’s Foolproof TikTok Strategy: Let Boston Speak ([Boston Magazine]( - New diversity officers struggle to make an impact in Massachusetts cities and towns ([GBH News]( - 'She made us happy': The all-star dreams of Uvalde's biggest José Altuve fan ([ESPN](  Tell Me Something Good [Dolphins rescued, released off Provincetown coast (WHDH)]( Four dolphins were released back into deeper waters off the Provincetown coast after a multi-day mission. [Read more.]( [Dolphins rescued, released off Provincetown coast (WHDH)]( Four dolphins were released back into deeper waters off the Provincetown coast after a multi-day mission. [Read more.]( Before you go: A [perfect summer day]( in Boston. Digital producer Derek Anderson co-produced this newsletter. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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