Boston's most chaotic holiday

Also: Last-minute shakeup roils AG race; the "very real" power of incumbency on Beacon Hill [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 31, 2022 ☁️ Cloudy, with a high near 86 and some rain this morning. Good Morning Boston, It's Allston Christmas eve! Or, as others call it, "[48 hours of complete chaos]( Thanks to Boston's high concentration of colleges, most leases in the area turnover over tonight at midnight. That means thousands of local renters will be lugging their belongings — or leaving them out of the street — around the city the next couple days. - Here are a few pointers to help you (or the college student in your life) get through the next few days: - Avoid the hotspots, if you can: The congestion of movers is typically the worst around the Allston-Brighton, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, South End and Southie neighborhoods of Boston, as well as the areas around Harvard, MIT and Tufts in Cambridge and Somerville, respectively. Those side streets may be tough. Boston also has implemented [temporary parking restrictions]( around several colleges for move-in day (UHaul says that literally all of their trucks have been rented out.) - Know your rights: Before settling in, make sure everything is up to standard with [this must-read guide from WBUR's Laney Ruckstuhl on renter rights]( from deposits to illegal lease clauses. And always remember to document the conditions of your new spot on moving day, so your security deposit isn't dinged later for someone else's damage. - What to take, what to leave: There'll be lots of free, tempting finds on the sidewalk, but always [check furniture for signs of bed bugs](. - New home, who dis: Remember to update your address with the post office, utility services and your bank. - Just don't: You know what I'm going to say. [Don't take that moving truck on Storrow Drive or Memorial Drive]( — or you're gonna end up in this newsletter the next day. In other news: - It's officially a two-woman race in the Democratic primary to be the next Massachusetts attorney general. Quentin Palfrey [announced Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign for AG]( leaving Andrea Campbell and Shannon Liss-Riordan as the two remaining candidates. Recent polls showed Palfrey falling behind his two opponents. But his announcement came in the middle of early voting, with over 255,000 early and mail-in ballots already cast in the Democratic primary. And it did not sit well with [a number]( of the progressive candidate's [supporters](. - In a surprise twist, Palfrey announced he's endorsing Campbell, despite frequently criticizing her during the campaign over everything from [fundraising]( to [her positions on charter schools and supervised injection sites](. In [a statement]( Palfrey cited AG Maura Healey's endorsement of Campbell, as well as the "lived experience" of the former Boston city councilor, who overcame poverty and [a family torn apart by the criminal system](. If she wins, Campbell would be [the first Black woman elected to a statewide position in Massachusetts](. - In response, Liss-Riordan's campaign accused Palfrey of putting "petty insider politics over people." after claiming to value "experience" and "progressive policies." (The high-profile class-action lawyer [has argued]( that she has far more legal experience than Campbell.) - At a time when the MBTA is cutting back service, one Massachusetts transit agency is boosting it. For the first time in its history, the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority will run its Lawrence-based bus routes every 30 minutes all day, beginning next Tuesday. - That's a boost from its current service, which only runs that often during peak hours, with hourly service the rest of the day. MVRTA officials say the new schedule reflects the reality that many riders aren't on "a banker’s 9-5 schedule." - The State House News Service recently reported that the MVRTA is one of the few transit agencies not facing labor shortages. Why? Leaders say [higher wages]( and some employee perks, like a [fancy coffee machine and two massage chairs]( in the break room. P.S.— Gov. Charlie Baker has declared today [Overdose Awareness Day]( in Massachusetts. If you're walking through Boston Common, don't miss [the powerful display of 20,000 purple flags]( planted in memory of the Bay Staters lost to overdoses over the past decade. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown ['The power of incumbency is very real': Only 10% of Beacon Hill lawmakers have a primary challenger]( While there are some competitive statewide races on the ballot, legislators often get a free ride to retain their seats. [Read more.]( ['The power of incumbency is very real': Only 10% of Beacon Hill lawmakers have a primary challenger]( While there are some competitive statewide races on the ballot, legislators often get a free ride to retain their seats. [Read more.]( [Maine's high court rules that voter referendum blocking power corridor was unconstitutional]( CMP and its partners want to build a 145-mile transmission line through Maine that would allow Hydro-Quebec to feed electricity into the New England power grid as part of a renewable energy initiative between the Canadian company and Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [Maine's high court rules that voter referendum blocking power corridor was unconstitutional]( CMP and its partners want to build a 145-mile transmission line through Maine that would allow Hydro-Quebec to feed electricity into the New England power grid as part of a renewable energy initiative between the Canadian company and Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to drop, driven by COVID-19]( Americans' life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row and is now the lowest it's been since the 1920s. COVID-19 is driving the downward trend, according to CDC data. [Read more.]( [Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to drop, driven by COVID-19]( Americans' life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row and is now the lowest it's been since the 1920s. COVID-19 is driving the downward trend, according to CDC data. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts biotech companies thrive during pandemic, report finds]( The Massachusetts biotechnology industry appears to be thriving, despite a national stock slump and the ongoing COVID pandemic. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts biotech companies thrive during pandemic, report finds]( The Massachusetts biotechnology industry appears to be thriving, despite a national stock slump and the ongoing COVID pandemic. [Read more.]( [Former Penn. official tapped as Mass. higher ed commissioner]( The Board of Higher Education selected Noe Ortega, a former University of Michigan official who also spent almost a decade working in Texas, as its pick for the top job following a five-month search that drew two dozen applicants. [Read more.]( [Former Penn. official tapped as Mass. higher ed commissioner]( The Board of Higher Education selected Noe Ortega, a former University of Michigan official who also spent almost a decade working in Texas, as its pick for the top job following a five-month search that drew two dozen applicants. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Jim Hennessey, an 85-year-old Little League umpire in Brookline, called his final game last night, after 63 consecutive seasons. With all due respect to Joe DiMaggio and Cal Ripkin, that's one impressive streak. Check out Hennessey's [interview on All Things Considered.]( He talks about what kept him going and how he's dealt with six decades of hecklers. - In the wake of President Joe Biden's plan to forgive some student loans, scammers may be on the prowl. Here are [some quick tips to ensure you don't fall victim to them](. - With the resumption of the college classes and that student loans news in mind, WBUR arts fellow Lauren Williams [recommends three books about the costs of higher education](.  What We're Reading 📚 - Why I Changed My Mind on Student Debt Forgiveness ([The New York Times]( - A right-wing agitator who attended Jan. 6 riot is running for the Mass. House, testing state GOP’s appetite for extremism ([The Boston Globe]( - Inside the Pain Cave ([The Ringer](  Tell Me Something Good [For one day, you can pay $3 for a movie ticket at most American theaters]( Saturday will be a nationwide discount day in more than 3,000 theaters, including major movie chains like AMC and Regal Cinemas. [Read more.]( [For one day, you can pay $3 for a movie ticket at most American theaters]( Saturday will be a nationwide discount day in more than 3,000 theaters, including major movie chains like AMC and Regal Cinemas. [Read more.]( Before you go: The people have spoken, and they[prefer Orange Line fires over Green Line derailments](. 😎 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.