The T's next big test(s)

Also: Boston's sluggish summer jobs effort; what's next for omicron booster shots [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 23, 2022 🌦️ Partly sunny, with a high near 80 and a chance of rain in the afternoon. Good Morning Boston, We could see more heavy showers in spots later today, after the fog lifts. But here's what's clear so far this morning: - Aside from [a shuttle bus sideswipe]( and [a missed turn here or there]( the massive Orange Line closure diversion passed its first big test. While officials are still making tweaks, they [reported no major issues with the plan Monday](. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she even got from Forest Hills to City Hall in [about the same time it would usually take](. But there could be more difficult tests ahead. - Officials warned that Mondays have typically been light travel days since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased remote work. Massachusetts Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBUR's Morning Edition that he expects today to be "the worst" of this initial stretch, though he said people tend to settle into a pattern within a week or so. - Still, that new pattern could get another jolt when local schools and colleges resume, pulling students and staff back into the daily commute — thousands of which [usually rely on the Orange Line](. "The real test of this is going to be in that last week when Boston public schools are in session," Wu told Radio Boston on Monday. - What they're doing: Boston Public Schools has acquired [5,000 free seven-day MBTA passes]( to distribute so that parents and students can do dry runs of the diversion route before school starts (parents should contact their local school to pick them up). - BPS also says it won't penalize students for being late and breakfast will still be served "after the bell." City and school officials are planning to share more details about the Orange Line closure mitigation effort later this afternoon. - Massachusetts' second-largest city is now asking residents to conserve water because of the drought. Worcester officials [issued a "Stage 1" water alert Monday]( and they say that even the return of rain will not prevent the city from staying in that status in the coming months. - A [Stage 1 water alert]( includes a few water restrictions of irrigation systems. But for more residents, officials are just asking for good water conservation practices, like not letting the kitchen sink run unnecessarily and filling up the dishwasher before running it. (Good tips that not only Worcester residents should be following.) - Have you had a hard time scheduling your next teeth cleaning? WBUR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports that a labor shortage in the dental industry has made it so some dentists have no openings until 2023. - According to Emanuel, some dentists say the number of dental assistants in Massachusetts is half of what is needed for them to operate at full capacity. The Massachusetts Dental Society is also working on a campaign to attract more high school graduates. - Say hello to Boston's newest music venue. Red Sox officials held an official ribbon cutting yesterday afternoon for the [new MGM Music Hall at Fenway]( an "intimate" 5,000-seat venue right behind Fenway Park's right-field bleachers. It'll officially open this weekend. - Sneak peek: The Boston Business Journal [has a gallery of photos inside and around the venue here](. - The concert hall has already booked 65 artists through the end of the year, including James Taylor and Chris Stapleton next week. Bruno Mars, Lil Nas X and the B-52s are also on the schedule for September. (Mt. Joy, The 1975 and Arcade Fire aren't far off on the horizon, either.) You can check out the [full lineup here](. P.S.— Need one more Boston ice cream recommendation for the final month of summer? Wu said on Radio Boston that her favorite is the "caramel fudge brownie" from [Ron's in Hyde Park](. You can[listen to her full interview (and also hear her kids' ice cream recs) here](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Boston sees sluggish summer for connecting youth to career pathways]( The disruption is cause for concern among city leaders who see professional work-based experience as both a vital part of education and a first step toward a fulfilling career. [Read more.]( [Boston sees sluggish summer for connecting youth to career pathways]( The disruption is cause for concern among city leaders who see professional work-based experience as both a vital part of education and a first step toward a fulfilling career. [Read more.]( [Pfizer asks FDA to greenlight new omicron booster shots, which could arrive this fall]( Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot targeting the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September. [Read more.]( [Pfizer asks FDA to greenlight new omicron booster shots, which could arrive this fall]( Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot targeting the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September. [Read more.]( [Fauci to step down in December after decades of public service]( Dr. Anthony Fauci helped guide the U.S. through the COVID crisis, and earlier in his career played a key role in the response to AIDS. He has served under seven presidents. [Read more.]( [Fauci to step down in December after decades of public service]( Dr. Anthony Fauci helped guide the U.S. through the COVID crisis, and earlier in his career played a key role in the response to AIDS. He has served under seven presidents. [Read more.]( [Judge rules against Ben & Jerry's in fight over Israel sales]( A federal judge said Ben & Jerry’s failed to show that the decision by the company's owner to sell its products in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank would hurt the Vermont ice cream maker’s social mission or confuse its customers. [Read more.]( [Judge rules against Ben & Jerry's in fight over Israel sales]( A federal judge said Ben & Jerry’s failed to show that the decision by the company's owner to sell its products in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank would hurt the Vermont ice cream maker’s social mission or confuse its customers. [Read more.]( [3 more states are poised to enact abortion trigger bans this week]( Barring court intervention, abortion trigger bans will take effect in Tennessee, Idaho and Texas, increasing penalties where abortion is already effectively banned. [Read more.]( [3 more states are poised to enact abortion trigger bans this week]( Barring court intervention, abortion trigger bans will take effect in Tennessee, Idaho and Texas, increasing penalties where abortion is already effectively banned. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - As Russia pushes on with its invasion, Kyiv is [hosting a different kind of parade this week]( to celebrate Ukraine's independence day. - Here are five suggestions that experts say [can help parents monitor their child's mental health]( during the back-to-school season. - Women in Finland are [going out of their way to dance in solidarity with the country's prime minister, Sanna Marin]( who they say has been subject to unfair criticism for dancing and singing with friends. - HBO says the first episode of the new Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon was the [most-watched premiere in the network's history](. If you aren't already among the nearly 10 million viewers, NPR has [a helpful guide to whether you should watch the new show, based on what you liked or didn't like]( about the original series. You can also read Glen Weldon's [review of the first episode here](.  What We're Reading 📚 - There’s a bipartisan bill to codify Roe — and abortion rights groups can’t stand it ([Vox]( - Something Weird's Happening In This Senate Race: Fun ([BuzzFeed News]( - A Famous Walrus Is Killed, and Norwegians Are Divided ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [How 2 astrophotographers teamed up to capture a stellar image of the moon]( After recognizing one another's strengths in photography, two photographers decided to team up for a photoshoot of Earth's moon. [Read more.]( [How 2 astrophotographers teamed up to capture a stellar image of the moon]( After recognizing one another's strengths in photography, two photographers decided to team up for a photoshoot of Earth's moon. [Read more.]( Before you go: No wonder [he didn't get invited to the wedding](. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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