An up-tick in the Northeast

Also: What we know about Trump's arrest claims; Biden's pick for local appeals court faces rare Dem. scrutiny [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 21, 2023 ☀️Sunny, with a high near 58. Good Morning Boston, The coveted return of warm weather in New England means many things: longer days, blooming flowers and, unfortunately, ticks. After [yet another mild winter]( experts say a rare tick-borne disease is on the rise. Babesiosis — a malaria-type disease that was first found in the U.S. over 50 years ago on Nantucket — is now endemic to all six states in New England. Here's what to know: - Late last week, the CDC published its first comprehensive survey on babesiosis, finding a 25% increase in nationwide cases from 2011 to 2019. NPR [reports]( that babesiosis is now considered endemic in all of northern New England, in addition to Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island (where it already was endemic). The disease is carried by deer ticks, which have [become more active in the region due to warming winters](. - Babesiosis does remain pretty rare. States reported around 1,800 cases a year between 2011 and 2019 — a fraction of the 30,000 Lyme disease reports the CDC says it receives annually. - While some babesiosis cases are asymptomatic, about 80% of infections lead to symptoms like fever, chills and muscle pain, according to Edouard Vannier, a babesiosis expert at Tufts Medical Center. Extreme cases can be life-threatening, particularly for those who are immunocompromised or elderly. - Why is it on the rise? Vannier told WBUR's Irina Matchavariani there's multiple factors. But like Lyme disease, Vannier says the spread is accelerated by warmer temperatures. "So, there is possibly an impact of climate change on this spread northward," he told Matchavariani. (Previous theories also noted a [relation to the return of white-tailed deer]( - What's next: Vannier says there have already been babesiosis cases as far north as the Canadian border and "we can expect reasonably" that cases will only continue to rise in the coming years. - How to avoid it: Well, the best way to avoid tick-borne diseases is to avoid ticks. Here's [a timeless guide to avoid getting bitten](. - Get ready for another Massachusetts springtime staple: construction. Starting tonight through October, state officials will implement overnight "rolling roadblocks" and lane closures on the stretch of the Mass. Pike behind Fenway Park in both directions. - The reason for the lane closures is construction [on the Parcel 7 air rights project]( aka Fenway Center. The plan consists of [building a 2-acre deck over the Pike between Brookline Avenue and Beacon Street]( and then putting a 350-foot tower with lab space and apartments on top. (MassDOT is getting $55 million for the project.) - The lane closures will take place between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on all days except Sundays and holidays. MassDOT says three lanes will remain open during peak hours. - Bay State College will officially be stripped of its accreditation this August, after losing its appeal yesterday to the New England Commission of Higher Education. WBUR's Max Larkin [reports that the decision is a final blow to the tiny, for-profit Back Bay school's hopes of staying open](. - Bay State College is calling the NECHE's final ruling "flawed," but says they accept the decision. As they wind down operations this summer, college leaders say they will work to ensure that eligible students graduate this spring and help those who aren't graduating transfer to other colleges. [Read more from Larkin here](. - In more uplifting college news: Tom Hanks will be [Harvard's 2023 commencement speaker](. We can only assume he'll urge graduates to "[reach for the sky]( - The first mother and baby Right Whale pair of the season [have been spotted in Cape Cod Bay](. Stormy Mayo, a co-founder of the Center for Coastal Studies, tells WBUR's Amy Sokolow that the sighting is an important event because it indicates the calf has survived a "long and rather dangerous trip up the East Coast" from Georgia. - Experts estimate there are about 340 endangered right whales worldwide — and about [over 50 of them are currently in Cape Cod Bay](. Mayo hopes the new calf "will add a little something to a population that is really in a catastrophic condition." - Save the date: [Right Whale Day]( — which celebrates [the Bay State's official marine mammal]( — is just over a month away. P.S.— The Harvard Kennedy School is hosting[a free, public screening tomorrow night of "The Territory."]( The award-winning documentary provides an immersive, on-the-ground look at the indigenous fight against deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. WBUR's own [Paula Moura]( who worked on the film as a field producer, will also be there for a Q&A after the screening. (There'll be food, too.) [Register here](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Is Trump actually getting arrested this week? Here's what we know]( Former President and top 2024 candidate Donald Trump claims he'll be arrested Tuesday as part of an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney. Start here for answers on five key questions. [Read more.]( [Is Trump actually getting arrested this week? Here's what we know]( Former President and top 2024 candidate Donald Trump claims he'll be arrested Tuesday as part of an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney. Start here for answers on five key questions. [Read more.]( [Former N.H. attorney general is Biden's pick for appeals court. He faces rare Democratic scrutiny]( Michael Delaney, nominated for the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, said in written testimony to senators that he did not write — and had limited involvement in — the 2005 legal brief defending a law that would have required minors to tell their parents before they obtained an abortion. [Read more.]( [Former N.H. attorney general is Biden's pick for appeals court. He faces rare Democratic scrutiny]( Michael Delaney, nominated for the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, said in written testimony to senators that he did not write — and had limited involvement in — the 2005 legal brief defending a law that would have required minors to tell their parents before they obtained an abortion. [Read more.]( [Eviction prevention policy set to expire March 31]( More than one hundred organizations are calling on Massachusetts lawmakers to extend a pandemic-era eviction prevention policy, warning that the looming March 31 expiration will displace residents. [Read more.]( [Eviction prevention policy set to expire March 31]( More than one hundred organizations are calling on Massachusetts lawmakers to extend a pandemic-era eviction prevention policy, warning that the looming March 31 expiration will displace residents. [Read more.]( [Before the U.S. rolled into Baghdad 20 years ago, Iraqis warned us what would happen]( When the U.S. invasion of Iraq began, NPR's Mideast editor Larry Kaplow was a reporter in Baghdad. Looking back now, he writes that the signs and warnings of the chaos to come were all too clear then. [Read more.]( [Before the U.S. rolled into Baghdad 20 years ago, Iraqis warned us what would happen]( When the U.S. invasion of Iraq began, NPR's Mideast editor Larry Kaplow was a reporter in Baghdad. Looking back now, he writes that the signs and warnings of the chaos to come were all too clear then. [Read more.]( [Trial continues for ex-Haiti mayor living in Malden, accused of political killings]( The case against Jean Morose Viliena, the former mayor of a small town in Haiti who now lives in Malden, shed light on the broader issue of political violence in the Caribbean nation and its ineffective judicial system. [Read more.]( [Trial continues for ex-Haiti mayor living in Malden, accused of political killings]( The case against Jean Morose Viliena, the former mayor of a small town in Haiti who now lives in Malden, shed light on the broader issue of political violence in the Caribbean nation and its ineffective judicial system. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The art stars are aligning in Massachusetts with a spring full of fresh work. WBUR's Tania Ralli [highlights 10 exhibits to check out across the state this season]( as part of our spring arts guide. - The Boston Underground Film Festival is back at Brattle Theatre this week for a five-day binge of odd offerings — from a modern remake of "Frankenstein" to a documentary about audio collage artists. Check out [the full preview from film critic Sean Burns](. - Museum of Science President Tim Ritchie [writes in this commentary]( that science should be seen as an answer to humanity’s hopes — but it also has limits: "It can explore and employ the curious forces that make up our universe but can’t explain what they are at their essence." - The Boston Lyric Opera is [docking itself at the Seaport's Flynn Cruiseport this week]( for a unique production of Hungarian composer Bela Bartók’s 1918 opera “Bluebeard’s Castle.” Award-winning director Anne Bogart tells arts writer Jenn Stanley that such large-scale, site-specific works are risky, but they pay off.  What We're Reading 📚 - Jaylen Brown on Basketball, Activism and Being Black in Boston ([The New York Times]( - It’s official: Dunkin’ has confirmed the Dunkaccino’s retirement ([TODAY.com]( - A Sandwich Shop, a Tent City and an American Crisis ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Bruce Springsteen pulls out 'Dirty Water' cover at TD Garden (Boston.com)]( Bruce Springsteen broke out a cover of Boston’s beloved “Dirty Water” during his concert at TD Garden on Monday night. [Read more.]( [Bruce Springsteen pulls out 'Dirty Water' cover at TD Garden (Boston.com)]( Bruce Springsteen broke out a cover of Boston’s beloved “Dirty Water” during his concert at TD Garden on Monday night. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common [breaks down the implications of the new MBTA Communities housing law]( — particularly for the towns resisting the change. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: We'd like to issue [an apology in advance](. 😎 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. 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