The new view from the Pru

Also: Inside the aging walls of Boston City Hall; Harvard morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human body parts [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  June 15, 2023 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high around 79. Good Morning Boston, We begin today with a view from the top of the Hub, courtesy of WBUR's own Rupa Shenoy: - For the first time in over three years, visitors can now return to the top of Boston's Prudential Center. "View Boston" opens today, more than 50 stories above the street. The three-floor observatory takes the place of the iconic Top of the Hub restaurant and Skywalk Observatory, which [closed in 2020](. And while View Boston offers sweeping views, [fine dining]( and [fancy cocktails]( just like its predecessor, WBUR's Laney Ruckstuhl reports that the attraction also includes new features — specifically an outdoor roof deck and interactive indoor exhibits. Here's a floor-by-floor look: - The 52nd floor: Upon arrival at View Boston's entrance inside the Pru's mall, visitors will take dedicated elevators up to an indoor observatory on the top floor with panoramic views. - The 51st floor: One floor down is a wraparound outdoor roof deck, plus an indoor/outdoor cocktail bar with drinks and small plates. - The 50th floor: The final stop includes an array of interactive exhibits, including a projection-mapped 3D model of Boston and an "immersive theater" with a 270-degree screen. - Plan your visit: Tickets start at $35 for general admission, but can range up to $150 for a window table reservation, food and drink. They can be purchased [online]( or in-person at the Pru. View Boston, the new three-level observatory on top of the Prudential tower where Top of the Hub used to be. (Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) - Right to ignore: Federal officials are [telling carmakers not to comply with Massachusetts' updated right-to-repair law](. The law, which was [approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2020]( requires carmakers to share vehicles' wireless mechanical information with owners and independent repair shops. But in [a letter this week]( National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials said federal law preempts state law on the matter, citing "significant safety concerns." - What's the concern? The NTSB says open access to such info could allow a "malicious actor here or abroad" to remotely take control of a car's steering, acceleration, braking and air bags: "Crashes, injuries, or deaths are foreseeable outcomes of such a situation." - The letter doesn't really change the status quo. The law has been stuck in the courts. And while Attorney General Andrea Campbell said she'd begin enforcing the law this month, The Boston Globe [reports]( that no carmakers are providing telematic data as required. Meanwhile, two — [Kia and Subaru]( — have simply disabled their cars' wireless features in Massachusetts. - Gov. Maura Healey is slated to make a "a major criminal justice announcement" at noon today at the State House — and it doesn't take a professional detective to guess what it will be. Two unnamed sources [tell the Globe]( that Healey is planning to recommend pardons for seven people, a rarity so early in a governor's first term. - We still don't know who Healey wants to pardon. Whoever it is, the recommendations will need approval from the Governor's Council. - Budget battle: The Boston City Council approved a $4.2 billion budget proposal yesterday that includes a $31 million — or 7% — cut to the city's police department. In total, the budget includes $53 million in changes to the budget Mayor Michelle Wu originally proposed. - Go deeper: The BPD wouldn't be the only department facing cuts. [According to The Dorchester Reporter]( the Council's budget would largely shift funding from transportation, inspectional services, public works and veterans issues to youth employment, arts and culture, parks and “participatory budgeting.” - What's next: The measure now heads back to the desk of Wu, who can veto some, all or none of those amendments. Her office is already hinting that they'll reject some changes, expressing "concerns about the scale and scope of cuts proposed to departments delivering key City services." - Good news: The Boston area's drinking water met every federal and state standard in 2022 — both including current and [proposed PFAS standards](. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority posted the testing results this week, saying it has "great confidence in the water we deliver to the homes and businesses," and residents should, too. - There is some mild concerns about lead. While the system as a whole continues to be below lead action levels, many homes may still have pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead. - Listen: Radio Boston [recently spoke to three experts]( about what we know about lead in Boston — and what's being done about it. P.S.— Have you been itching to ask Healey a question? Today is your chance! The governor is making her monthly appearance on Radio Boston at 11 a.m. and you can send in your question through our text club. Join by texting BOSTON to [617-766-0382](tel:6177660382). Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Boston City Hall, loathed and loved, needs millions of dollars in repairs]( The aging Brutalist fortress is in need of significant repairs. The city has earmarked $80 million for its upkeep in the most recent capital plan. [Read more.]( [Boston City Hall, loathed and loved, needs millions of dollars in repairs]( The aging Brutalist fortress is in need of significant repairs. The city has earmarked $80 million for its upkeep in the most recent capital plan. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts to receive over $1 billion in opioid settlements]( Massachusetts will receive these funds over 18 years from a variety of settlements. The money is split between a state fund and municipal funds in order to address the opioid crisis, but municipal funds are not currently set up to manage a specific issue like this. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts to receive over $1 billion in opioid settlements]( Massachusetts will receive these funds over 18 years from a variety of settlements. The money is split between a state fund and municipal funds in order to address the opioid crisis, but municipal funds are not currently set up to manage a specific issue like this. [Read more.]( [Harvard Medical School morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human body parts as part of 'nationwide network']( The indictment alleges that starting in 2018, Cedric Lodge began taking body parts that had been donated for medical research and bringing them to his home in Goffstown, N.H. He and his wife are accused of selling the cadaver parts to others. [Read more.]( [Harvard Medical School morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human body parts as part of 'nationwide network']( The indictment alleges that starting in 2018, Cedric Lodge began taking body parts that had been donated for medical research and bringing them to his home in Goffstown, N.H. He and his wife are accused of selling the cadaver parts to others. [Read more.]( [Health leaders call for action to end disparities that cost Mass. an estimated $5.9 billion per year]( The economic burden includes the cost of lost labor force productivity for people who are too sick to work. [Read more.]( [Health leaders call for action to end disparities that cost Mass. an estimated $5.9 billion per year]( The economic burden includes the cost of lost labor force productivity for people who are too sick to work. [Read more.]( [May tax revenue 'helps soften' April’s tumble, Mass. budget chief says]( Healey's budget chief called the $2.7 billion tax haul in May "good news," pointing out that collections were about 9.5% up from May 2022 and 6.7% above the most recent benchmark for the month. [Read more.]( [May tax revenue 'helps soften' April’s tumble, Mass. budget chief says]( Healey's budget chief called the $2.7 billion tax haul in May "good news," pointing out that collections were about 9.5% up from May 2022 and 6.7% above the most recent benchmark for the month. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Next up in our 2023 summer arts guide series: it's time to dance. From tap performances to regional debuts of national and international companies, dance critic Iris Fanger [rounds up the festivals and shows she’s looking forward to this season](. - Just in time for summer, scientists are [ramping up their monitoring of white sharks in the waters off Cape Cod](. The Associated Press reports that new camera sensors will help keep track of the predators’ movements and whereabouts on a second-by-second basis. - Paul McCartney says "the last Beatles record" will be released later this year — with the help of artificial intelligence. But don't worry, they didn't ask ChatGPT to write it. As McCartney [explained on a BBC radio show this week]( they used AI to recover and isolate John Lennon's voice from an old demo tape. - The group in charge of overhauling Massachusetts' state seal and motto wants to hear from you. The State Steal Commission is [moving forward with plans for a UMass Boston survey]( seeking a random sampling of public sentiment on the redesign effort. (Psst: [cod flag](  What We're Reading 📚 This section is supported by [Beacon Hill Books]( a new independent bookstore. - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wants to Be President. Cheryl Hines Is Along for the Ride. ([The New York Times]( - A Lowell college baseball player was kicked off the team. He believes racism is at the root of it. ([GBH News]( - It’s time to ban ‘right-on-red’ ([Fast Company](  Tell Me Something Good [Former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy says he’s bringing the Stanley Cup to Cape Cod this summer (Boston.com)]( And after winning the Cup in his first season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Cassidy is planning on bringing some impressive hardware down the Cape in the coming months. [Read more.]( [Former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy says he’s bringing the Stanley Cup to Cape Cod this summer (Boston.com)]( And after winning the Cup in his first season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Cassidy is planning on bringing some impressive hardware down the Cape in the coming months. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common takes a peak at [what's behind the booming Boston biotech sector's jobs challenge](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: So you're telling me there's [a chance]( 😎 Forward to a friend. 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