Tying up loose ends

Also: 3 dangerous climate tipping points; a Boston nonprofit connects Black outdoor lovers [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  November 10, 2022 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 66. Good Morning Boston, The results from Tuesday's election are still trickling in across the country. We're probably[ going to have to wait a few days for votes to be counted]( in pivotal Senate races in Arizona and Nevada, and control of the chamber could come down — once again — to a [runoff in Georgia](. (Republicans look on track to retake the House, though many races are still uncalled.) Meanwhile, the big races are now basically settled in Massachusetts. Here's what's next: - Governor-elect Maura Healey met with Gov. Charlie Baker yesterday afternoon to kick start the transition to a new administration on Jan 5. (Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and her successor, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, also took part.) With less than two months to go, Baker says he wants to make sure they can "hit the ground running." - What they talked about: Winter weather prep (remember: Baker got immediately slammed by record snow after taking office in 2015), as well as the new administration's first budget, which is due in March. - What wasn't said: Baker still refuses to reveal who he voted for in the governor's race — but he also didn't say he blanked his ballot like in the last two presidential elections. So, who was it? 🤔 - After getting shut out of all statewide and federal races, what's next for the MassGOP? They may have an intra-party leadership fight on their hands. Politico [reports]( that the party's vice chair Jay Fleitman will challenge chair Jim Lyons. - ICYMI: The results of three ballot questions were finalized Wednesday after this newsletter was sent, joining Question 2's [lopsided win]( (who knew you all felt so strongly about dental insurance): - Voters [narrowly passed Question 1]( the constitutional amendment to put an additional 4% tax on annual income over $1 million. - They [rejected Question 3]( which would have allowed more chain convenience and grocery stores to sell beer and wine. - And they [voted "yes" on Question 4]( which means the state's relatively new law allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses is here to stay (it will take effect next July). - Some other notable local election results you may have missed: The Cape and Islands elected the region's first Democrat district attorney in decades. Robert Galibois beat a Republican rival to succeed longtime GOP DA Michael O'Keefe, who is retiring after 20 years. - Meanwhile, the Plymouth County DA Timothy Cruz — who will now be the only Republican DA in the state — held off a challenge from Democrat Rahsaan Hall. - While the election will have [many indirect effects]( on the MBTA, the agency was literally on the ballot for some voters. [Fall River]( and [New Bedford]( resoundingly approved local ballot measures to join the MBTA — a necessary step before the South Coast Rail project expands commuter rail service to the two cities [as soon as late next year](. - One race where things got surprisingly tight: Connecticut's 5th District. With 100% of precincts reporting, the Associated Press [called the race Wednesday night]( for incumbent Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes — beating GOP challenger George Logan by less than a percentage point. Her 1,842-vote win was the closest New England congressional race this year. - Huh. It turns out suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka won't be joining the Brooklyn Nets after all. Despite initial reports from top NBA reporters suggesting the move was settled, the Nets announced Wednesday that they're [sticking with interim coach Jacque Vaughn](. - Why? The Athletic [reports]( the Nets reversed course after doing more "due diligence" on Udoka and the public "outcry" against hiring the coach, who was suspended for the entire season by the Celtics after an "inappropriate" relationship with a team staffer. - As for Udoka's future with the Celtics, it's still up in the air. P.S.— For better or worse, The New York Times [turned off its election forecasting Needle yesterday]( for this cycle. But you can still follow the fight for control of Congress on our [online dashboard](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Mass. LGBTQ community celebrates Healey's historic victory]( "I want to say something to every little girl and every young LGBTQ person out there," Maura Healey said on Tuesday night. "I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be." [Read more.]( [Mass. LGBTQ community celebrates Healey's historic victory]( "I want to say something to every little girl and every young LGBTQ person out there," Maura Healey said on Tuesday night. "I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be." [Read more.]( [The midterms went better than expected for Biden. Now he's traveling to Asia]( President Biden leaves Thursday for a series of major summits with foreign leaders. And in Bali, he'll meet face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping. [Read more.]( [The midterms went better than expected for Biden. Now he's traveling to Asia]( President Biden leaves Thursday for a series of major summits with foreign leaders. And in Bali, he'll meet face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping. [Read more.]( [Here are 3 dangerous climate tipping points the world is on track for]( Global leaders are negotiating about how to cut greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. Scientists say every passing day, and every tenth of a degree, makes a big difference. [Read more.]( [Here are 3 dangerous climate tipping points the world is on track for]( Global leaders are negotiating about how to cut greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. Scientists say every passing day, and every tenth of a degree, makes a big difference. [Read more.]( [A mixed bag for cannabis legalization efforts in five states]( Voters in Missouri and Maryland approved adult-use recreational pot, but similar measures were rejected in Arkansas and the Dakotas. [Read more.]( [A mixed bag for cannabis legalization efforts in five states]( Voters in Missouri and Maryland approved adult-use recreational pot, but similar measures were rejected in Arkansas and the Dakotas. [Read more.]( [Nicole weakens to a tropical storm after reaching Florida's east coast]( Nicole was downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday morning, shortly after making landfall in Florida, officials at the National Hurricane Center said. [Read more.]( [Nicole weakens to a tropical storm after reaching Florida's east coast]( Nicole was downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday morning, shortly after making landfall in Florida, officials at the National Hurricane Center said. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - After a week of election news, it's time to log off. Here are [five local things to do this weekend]( including an art walk in the woods of Concord and the musical “SIX” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. - What is Mastodon? The fledgling alternative social media network has [seen a surge in popularity since Elon Musk took over Twitter](. But even the founder admits that many new users get hung up on some of its technical and non-intuitive aspects. - A new exhibit at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton explores food insecurity and the growing global disparity in the distribution of our food resources. Here's [a preview from arts writer Pamela Reynolds](. - Eileen McNamara has a suggestion for political journalists [in this Cognoscenti commentary]( get out of the prognostication business.  What We're Reading 📚 - The Sabotage On Old North Wharf ([Nantucket Current]( - Elon Musk’s new Twitter Verification is already causing chaos across the sports media world ([Awful Announcing]( - Even in progressive Massachusetts, it was a toss-up on whether to tax the rich ([The Boston Globe](  Tell Me Something Good [In Boston, a national nonprofit connects Black outdoor lovers with nature]( Outdoor Afro was founded in 2009 by Rue Mapp. "It is essential for people of color and Black people to have safe communities that center nature," she says. [Read more.]( [In Boston, a national nonprofit connects Black outdoor lovers with nature]( Outdoor Afro was founded in 2009 by Rue Mapp. "It is essential for people of color and Black people to have safe communities that center nature," she says. [Read more.]( Before you go: This week's biggest winner: [people who share a media market with New Hampshire](. Correction: Due to lack of sleep, we incorrectly called Florida's [new 25-year-old congressman-elect Maxwell Frost]( a "gun rights" activist in yesterday's newsletter. He is in fact a gun control activist — basically the opposite of what we suggested. We regret the error! 😎 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.