Beware the rides of March

Also: Private well owners stuck with the costs of PFAS; Wu puts her rent control plan on the agenda [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  February 15, 2023 ⛅ Partly cloudy, with a high near 57. Good Morning Boston, Gov. Maura Healey is making her inaugural appearance as governor on Radio Boston this morning. [Tune in]( live at 11 a.m.! But first, the news: - We're barely midway through February, but the MBTA is giving riders time to mentally prepare for another round of service disruptions coming in March ([as promised](. They'll touch the Red, Orange and Green lines on both weekends and weeknights, as well as the Mattapan trolley and commuter rail. Here's a look: - The Red Line: Shuttle buses will replace trains between Harvard and JFK/UMass during the weekends of March 4-5 and March 25-26 so crews can install a new digital signal system. - The free Red Line shuttles will stop at all affected stations, except Park Street and Downtown Crossing. Instead, they'll stop at nearby Haymarket and State stations. - Shuttles will also greet riders between Braintree and North Quincy stations starting at 9 p.m. each night March 20-23. - The Orange Line: Train service will be suspended between Ruggles and North Station on the weekend of March 11-12 due to track work and the Government Center Garage demolition. - The T's advice: take the Green Line instead. There'll also be shuttles running back and forth between Ruggles and Copley. - Shuttles will also step in for trains between Wellington and North Stations each night March 27-30, starting at 9 p.m. - The Green Line: Shuttle buses will replace trolleys between North Station and Government Center Station on the weekend of March 11-12 due to the aforementioned garage project. - The Mattapan trolley: Shuttles will replace the full line each night March 6-9 starting at 9 p.m. so crews can "remove a staircase at Milton Station." - The commuter rail: There'll be two different nine-day shuttle diversions. The first is March 4-12 on the Haverhill line between Haverhill and Reading stations. And the second is March 20-28 on the Newburyport/Rockport line between Swampscott and North Station. - During both of those diversions, the T will install a new safety system on the lines. No bikes are allowed on any of the shuttle buses, and the T still expects riders to pay commuter rail fares. - Cheers! Since things tend to get busy around here on St. Patrick's Day weekend, the T won't have any shutdowns on March 18-19. - Remember: this is all in addition to this month's [slate of weekend diversions](. These types of partial-line shutdowns are expected to continue for many more months. - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has officially put her rent control plan on [the agenda](. After Wu [filed it this week,]( the Boston City Council will take up the proposal during its meeting today. While the plan faces what will likely be [a steeper challenge]( on Beacon Hill, the 13-member council could prove to be a hurdle in its own right. - Wu [made the case on Radio Boston last month]( that her proposal tries to prevent existing renters from being forced out by rent hikes, without discouraging development. - However, there's [criticism from both sides](. As the Boston Herald [reported]( at least three progressive councilors expressed concerns that Wu's plan doesn't do enough. At the same time, at least two more conservative councilors fear that — as the real estate industry argues — it would deter growth. - Go deeper: Due to [a number of exemptions in the policy]( WBUR's Walter Wuthmann reports it would only cover about 55% of Boston's rental units. - What's next: Wu [conceded Tuesday on GBH]( that it's "possible" her plan doesn't get past the Council. But before there are any votes or amendments, councilors will likely refer her proposal for a future public hearing. - Look up! No, that [wasn't a UFO]( above Boston last night. The [train of lights]( that many residents have spotted in the night sky throughout the week are, in fact, SpaceX's Starlink satellites. (There are over 3,500 in orbit as part of [the global internet initiative]( - [Check out the rough schedule]( for when the unique sight will be visible from Boston. Your next best chance is tonight around 6:45 p.m., looking west. P.S.— We have some unseasonably warm weather carrying us into the weekend. Looking to get outside? Here's [a great Twitter thread of scenic Greater Boston biking loops]( to try now or bookmark for later. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Private well owners stuck with costs to treat 'forever chemicals']( There are no state or federal regulations regarding private wells and the chemicals known as PFAS. This gap creates inequities for the 600,000Massachusetts residents who get drinking water from private wells in mostly rural communities. [Read more.]( [Private well owners stuck with costs to treat 'forever chemicals']( There are no state or federal regulations regarding private wells and the chemicals known as PFAS. This gap creates inequities for the 600,000Massachusetts residents who get drinking water from private wells in mostly rural communities. [Read more.]( [In tight market, low-income renters can wait years for federal vouchers and still not find a home]( Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has made housing one of her first priorities in office, including proposing a cabinet-level housing office. This comes as home prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic started. But it can be just as hard for renters to find a place to live, especially people relying on government assistance. [Read more.]( [In tight market, low-income renters can wait years for federal vouchers and still not find a home]( Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has made housing one of her first priorities in office, including proposing a cabinet-level housing office. This comes as home prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic started. But it can be just as hard for renters to find a place to live, especially people relying on government assistance. [Read more.]( [How do pandemics begin? There's a new theory — and a new strategy to thwart them]( Animals carry millions of pathogens. So it's a daunting task to find the one with the greatest potential to spark a pandemic. Now scientists are rethinking the way they hunt for that next new virus. [Read more.]( [How do pandemics begin? There's a new theory — and a new strategy to thwart them]( Animals carry millions of pathogens. So it's a daunting task to find the one with the greatest potential to spark a pandemic. Now scientists are rethinking the way they hunt for that next new virus. [Read more.]( [Healey highlights Cape Cod bridges and east-west rail as priorities in D.C. visit]( Back from a string of activity in the nation's capital that featured a pair of events with President Joe Biden, Gov. Maura Healey said Monday that the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges, and the prospect of a western Massachusetts passenger rail extension, featured as recurring topics during her visit. [Read more.]( [Healey highlights Cape Cod bridges and east-west rail as priorities in D.C. visit]( Back from a string of activity in the nation's capital that featured a pair of events with President Joe Biden, Gov. Maura Healey said Monday that the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges, and the prospect of a western Massachusetts passenger rail extension, featured as recurring topics during her visit. [Read more.]( [Health concerns grow in East Palestine, Ohio, after train derailment]( Air monitoring continues in East Palestine after the crews released a number of toxic chemicals in what officials called a “controlled explosion” last week. Since then, there have been a growing number of reports about people experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes, animals falling ill and a strong odor lingering in the town. [Read more.]( [Health concerns grow in East Palestine, Ohio, after train derailment]( Air monitoring continues in East Palestine after the crews released a number of toxic chemicals in what officials called a “controlled explosion” last week. Since then, there have been a growing number of reports about people experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes, animals falling ill and a strong odor lingering in the town. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Meet the lawyer who helps doctors decide what to do in a legal pickle. WBUR's Gabrielle Emanuel spoke to Mass General Brigham senior legal counsel Emma Melton about the most common questions she's asked. Here's a look at [three hypothetical patient quandaries and how lawyers might puzzle through them](. - Sink into this, Titanic enthusiasts. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth is [planning to release over an hour of uncut footage from the 1986 dive]( that marked the first time human eyes had seen the sunken giant ocean liner. - Check out this [this year’s Black History Month viewing guide]( from film critic Kyéra Sterling. It's a collection of six films and shows you can stream right now that "offer complex Black histories and futures by Black talent working to widen access to Black stories and art." - A terrific cast. Excellent direction. And resonant characters. Theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair [explains why you should go see the Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars”]( at Hibernian Hall (showing now through March).  What We're Reading 📚 - Stunning amount of problems with China train deal exposed ([Boston Herald]( - Coming soon to Boston Common: Brews and tunes ([The Boston Globe]( - How the $500 Billion Attention Industry Really Works ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Ukrainians, Junior Bruins celebrate unity arm-in-arm on ice]( The decision to have players from both the Ukrainian Selects and Boston Junior Bruins line up together for the national anthems at the International Peewee Hockey tournament was pre-planned. What no one anticipated was the spontaneous celebration that erupted among the 11- and 12-year-olds from both teams after the game. [Read more.]( [Ukrainians, Junior Bruins celebrate unity arm-in-arm on ice]( The decision to have players from both the Ukrainian Selects and Boston Junior Bruins line up together for the national anthems at the International Peewee Hockey tournament was pre-planned. What no one anticipated was the spontaneous celebration that erupted among the 11- and 12-year-olds from both teams after the game. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common talks to WBUR's Barbara Moran [about PFAS levels in Massachusetts drinking water]( in the first of two episodes focused on the manmade "forever chemicals." Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: When there's no -100 wind chills, life atop Mount Washington has is perks — like [seeing the Northern Lights](. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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