SNAP snaps back

Also: Boston now has one of the largest "passive house" buildings in the world; 5 things to do this weekend [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 2, 2023 🌧️ Rain, possibly mixed with snow and sleet, through the morning, with a high near 46. Good Morning Boston, Keep your eyes to the sky tonight once when those clouds clear: we may [get a glimpse of Venus and Jupiter in "conjunction"]( — or what astronomers call a cosmic kiss. But first, some news back here on Earth: - Today is the [last day]( that over 634,000 households in Massachusetts will get extra federal help paying for their groceries. That's because a pandemic-era program that boosted food stamp payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for the last three years officially [expires this month](. But state lawmakers are moving to soften the blow before SNAP payments snap back to normal. - Nationwide, the change means $90 less for the average recipient. But in Massachusetts, the difference is larger: State officials estimate that, on average, the emergency allotment boosted the normal $324 monthly SNAP payment by an additional $151. ([The exact amount]( depends on the household; those with young kids saw their payments increase by over $220 a month.) - What's being done: The House unanimously passed a short-term spending bill Wednesday — first proposed by Gov. Maura Healey in January — that includes sending SNAP recipients 40% of what they got from the pandemic boost for another three months. (That's an average of just over $60 each month.) Now, it needs Senate approval before getting back to Healey's desk. - In the meantime, the state launched [Mass.gov/ExtraCOVIDSNAP]( to help people plan for the reduced benefits. WBUR's Morning Edition also [talked to state officials about other resources that may be available]( to help people with costs. - Project Bread CEO Erin McAleer told WBUR's Dave Faneuf that charities only have the capacity to feed a tenth of the people [that SNAP serves](. So, she and other food security advocates are calling on the State House to pass Healey's stopgap measure so families don't face an "immediate cliff" this month. - Go deeper: Listen to [this episode of The Common]( on how the end of additional SNAP benefits will be felt in working-class communities at a time of rising food prices. - In related news: With the end of the federal COVID-19 emergency declaration this spring, 2.3 million Massachusetts residents who get state-sponsored health insurance through MassHealth (which includes the state's Medicaid program) must re-enroll if they want to keep their coverage. That's because the state is "beginning the process of redetermining eligibility" next month — and expects to remove about 300,000 from the program. - Here's why: MassHealth saw its caseload grow by 31% since early 2020 due to the boom in people who lost their jobs and health insurance at the beginning of the pandemic. Up until this May, federal rules kept people on the program, even if they later became ineligible. But the state plans to begin enforcing eligibility again this year. - What it means for you: If you're on MassHealth and remain eligible, make sure you respond to your annual renewal letter. If you're no longer eligible, officials will aim to get you on insurance through your employer or the state's Health Connector. - The [deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum]( in Lincoln is closing its indoor exhibitions for two to three years later this month, so that they can upgrade the museum's HVAC and climate control systems. - Don't worry, the outside sculpture park will remain open. - North of the border: In what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind case in New Hampshire, the state Attorney General’s office is [pursuing a civil action suit against a Neo-Nazi group whose presence is on the rise across New England](. The move comes after several incidents of vandalism and hate message displays across the state, including a “Keep New England White” overpass banner in Portsmouth. - The court case kicked off Wednesday — and [immediately ran into an issue]( The group, NSC-131, says "no member of the New Hampshire Bar" is willing to be their lawyer. P.S.— Want to take WBUR on-the-go? [Try out our new app!]( You can pause and rewind live shows, play hourly local news updates on demand and click through to online news stories — all on your phone. Download it now on the [Apple App Store]( and [Google Play Store](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Boston is now home to one of the largest 'passive house' buildings in the world]( Winthrop Center in downtown Boston was built to save energy using insulation, air sealing and specific façade materials [Read more.]( [Boston is now home to one of the largest 'passive house' buildings in the world]( Winthrop Center in downtown Boston was built to save energy using insulation, air sealing and specific façade materials [Read more.]( [Healey's first budget boosts spending on public education, green energy and the MBTA]( Gov. Maura Healey's $55.5 billion budget - a 4.1% increase over the current year's budget - proposes a free community college program and a major investment in green energy. [Read more.]( [Healey's first budget boosts spending on public education, green energy and the MBTA]( Gov. Maura Healey's $55.5 billion budget - a 4.1% increase over the current year's budget - proposes a free community college program and a major investment in green energy. [Read more.]( [New NCAA president Charlie Baker sets eyes on athlete compensation]( Former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is starting his new job as president of the NCAA this week. At the top of his to-do list is getting a handle on name, image and likeness compensation for college athletes. [Read more.]( [New NCAA president Charlie Baker sets eyes on athlete compensation]( Former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is starting his new job as president of the NCAA this week. At the top of his to-do list is getting a handle on name, image and likeness compensation for college athletes. [Read more.]( [Deer ticks are benefiting from warming winters in the Northeast. That's raising health concerns]( Every year, deer ticks bite thousands of people in the Northeast. And as winters in the region become more mild, adult deer ticks are becoming more active at a time when they’re normally dormant – causing a bigger public health risk. [Read more.]( [Deer ticks are benefiting from warming winters in the Northeast. That's raising health concerns]( Every year, deer ticks bite thousands of people in the Northeast. And as winters in the region become more mild, adult deer ticks are becoming more active at a time when they’re normally dormant – causing a bigger public health risk. [Read more.]( [For the first time in decades, The Old Farmer's Almanac is looking for a new editor]( After 23 years, Janice Stillman, the first woman to lead the publication, is stepping into retirement. And the Almanac is looking for its 14th editor. [Read more.]( [For the first time in decades, The Old Farmer's Almanac is looking for a new editor]( After 23 years, Janice Stillman, the first woman to lead the publication, is stepping into retirement. And the Almanac is looking for its 14th editor. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The first weekend of March kicks off with a bang! There are plant and beer festivals in the Seaport (separate events, unfortunately) and free yoga in Somerville. It's also the second-to-last weekend of "Hamilton" at Citizens Bank Opera House. Check out our arts and culture team's[full list of events](. - A new pottery exhibit coming to the Museum of Fine Arts this weekend will introduce visitors to Edgefield pottery and an often-overlooked aspect of the American slavery system. Pamela Reynolds has [an early look inside the exhibit](. - "Creed III" is the first movie that Michael B. Jordan not only starred in but also sat in the director’s chair. Film critic Sean Burns [writes the actor dug into the assignment with some big, brash visual ideas]( (that, unfortunately, weren't always supported by his camera department). - Jon Carter [writes in Cognoscenti]( that the quick arrests in the Tyre Nichols case suggest a change in the national approach to police violence, but "many Black Americans fear something else is going on."  What We're Reading 📚 - Inside the ‘New York Times’ Blowup Over Transgender Coverage ([Vanity Fair]( - An alleged drug trafficker, a detective trying to take him down, and the woman caught in the middle ([The Boston Globe]( - This Revolutionary Stroke Treatment Will Save Millions of Lives. Eventually. ([The New York Times Magazine](  Food for Thought [5 restaurant openings we're excited about this month (Boston.com)]( This month, new restaurant openings in and around Boston include a roadside-style Mexico City taqueria with an attached speakeasy, a nomadic Greek-inspired concept, and a swanky return of a favored Gloucester establishment. [Read more.]( [5 restaurant openings we're excited about this month (Boston.com)]( This month, new restaurant openings in and around Boston include a roadside-style Mexico City taqueria with an attached speakeasy, a nomadic Greek-inspired concept, and a swanky return of a favored Gloucester establishment. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common breaks down [the factors contributing to Boston's challenging housing market](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Spot [what's wrong with this photo](. 😎 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.