In the heat of the Sumner

Also: Inside MassHealth's upheaval; pushing for the world's tallest flagpole [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  July 5, 2023 ☀️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Good Morning Boston, The fog may have [put a damper on last night's fireworks]( but the skies should clear up for the rest of the week, with highs approaching 90. Now, let's get some clarity on another big piece of news today: - Yes, the big, two-month Sumner Tunnel closure has [officially begun](. While it may seem like just a barely one-mile tunnel from East Boston to the city's downtown, officials are warning drivers that general traffic into the Boston area will only get worse until the tunnel reopens in September. You can read [our full guide to getting around the closure here](. Here are the essentials: - How bad will the traffic be? Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver has said North Shore commuters detouring through the Tobin Bridge and Ted Williams Tunnel could see "multi-mile" backups that add up to an hour to trips, depending on the time of day. And while those traveling from the North Shore and East Boston "will be the hardest impacted, without a doubt," Gulliver says drivers from all directions will feel the effects. "If you're coming from the west or if you're coming from the south, you will also see additional congestion," he said. - So, what should you do? The state's mantra is "ditch the drive" and take public transit. They're trying to make it more appealing — both by land and by sea: - The entire [Blue Line]( will be free, with trains running more frequently and discounted parking at several stations. - The MBTA is also making [five bus routes from Revere, Chelsea and East Boston fare-free]( during the closure. (Fares also won't be collected at the SL3's Chelsea stops.) - Trips on the[Newburyport/Rockport Line commuter rail line]( will be discounted to $2.40 per trip. Parking at most stations will be free, with $2 daily parking in Salem and Swampscott. - [Ferries]( will run to downtown Boston from East Boston, Winthrop and Lynn. The East Boston boat is free, while the Winthrop and Lynn ferries are $2.40 each way. - You probably shouldn't try driving or Ubering to Logan airport. But if you do, Massport says to give yourself an additional two hours to get there. Or take the Blue Line, Silver Line, ferry or [Logan Express bus]( which is $3 from Back Bay and $9 from the 'burbs. - The best day to take public transit or work from home: Gulliver predicts the worst traffic day will be this coming Monday, July 10. - Stay in the loop: The MBTA is providing [hourly alternative service and parking updates]( on its Twitter page. As for the roads, Google's live traffic map is already showing deep shades of red through the Williams Tunnel and Tobin Bridge. Here's what else you may have missed if you logged off for the Fourth of July holiday weekend: - Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara is facing charges after she crashed an unregistered and uninsured car into a home in Jamaica Plain on Friday. (Lara was traveling with her young son, Zaire; fortunately, neither reported any major injuries.) WBUR's Walter Wuthmann reports Lara has [a history of driving violations](. - Say farewell to Christmas Tree Shops: After initial hopes of only closing a few stores, the Massachusetts-based chain says it [now plans to liquidate all of its stores]( due to worsening finances. [According to CBS News Boston]( closing sales could begin as soon as this Friday. - The mayor of Lawrence says the city's police chief has abruptly retired, amid an investigation into the department. Chief Roy Vasque was placed on leave in January due to the probe — though the reason for the inquiry has not been made public. The Eagle Tribune [reports]( incidents involving four other officers are also being investigated. - Some good news: A 31-year-old Massachusetts woman who went missing last week was [found alive Monday]( after spending several days trapped in the swampy area of Borderland State Park in Easton. She was taken to the hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. P.S.— Help us out and let us know what you think of our new daily podcast The Common. [This survey]( take less than 10 minutes, and it will help us both serve you as listeners and support the show! Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Inside the $11 million effort to help Massachusetts residents maintain health coverage]( During the COVID health emergency, federal rules allowed MassHealth recipients to keep their benefits indefinitely. But now, people have to prove they qualify and health care providers and community advocates fear people who don’t speak English or have easy access to technology could lose access to coverage. [Read more.]( [Inside the $11 million effort to help Massachusetts residents maintain health coverage]( During the COVID health emergency, federal rules allowed MassHealth recipients to keep their benefits indefinitely. But now, people have to prove they qualify and health care providers and community advocates fear people who don’t speak English or have easy access to technology could lose access to coverage. [Read more.]( [It’s hard to build transmission lines in the Northeast, so 8 states are asking the feds for help]( The six New England states, along with New York and New Jersey, want the Department of Energy to fund and coordinate an interregional transmission planning collaborative. [Read more.]( [It’s hard to build transmission lines in the Northeast, so 8 states are asking the feds for help]( The six New England states, along with New York and New Jersey, want the Department of Energy to fund and coordinate an interregional transmission planning collaborative. [Read more.]( [They want to build the world's tallest flagpole to unite Americans. It's dividing this small Maine town]( A family in a small Maine town has proposed the world's tallest flagpole with a huge American flag on top. The proposal was supposed to unite people around the flag and create jobs but instead is laying bare community and cultural flashpoints. [Read more.]( [They want to build the world's tallest flagpole to unite Americans. It's dividing this small Maine town]( A family in a small Maine town has proposed the world's tallest flagpole with a huge American flag on top. The proposal was supposed to unite people around the flag and create jobs but instead is laying bare community and cultural flashpoints. [Read more.]( [Activists spurred by affirmative action ruling challenge legacy admissions at Harvard]( Backlash against the practice has been building in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court’sdecision ending affirmative actionin college admissions. [Read more.]( [Activists spurred by affirmative action ruling challenge legacy admissions at Harvard]( Backlash against the practice has been building in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court’sdecision ending affirmative actionin college admissions. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts wildland firefighter recounts two weeks fighting wildfires in Canada]( James Kontoules says he will view the wildfire smoke in Massachusetts differently now after having fought the Canadian wildfires for two weeks. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts wildland firefighter recounts two weeks fighting wildfires in Canada]( James Kontoules says he will view the wildfire smoke in Massachusetts differently now after having fought the Canadian wildfires for two weeks. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - It's peak summer in the Berkshires! Arts critics Jacquinn Sinclair and Ed Siegel [take a look at this season's cultural offerings]( including a new "Cabaret" at Barrington Stage Company, a great Edvard Munch exhibit at the Clark Art Institute, eclecticism at Jacob's Pillow and a visit to the site of W.E.B. DuBois' boyhood home. - A tipping point: Does it feel like everyone — fast food restaurants, grocery stories, plumbers, online retailers, even self-checkout machines — is asking for a tip these days? Here are [the three main reasons tipping has changed so much in the last few years](. - Ticks can't jump or fly. But [new research shows static electricity may allow them to zoom through the air]( onto people and animals. While the distance is tiny, “it’s the equivalent of us jumping three or four flights of stairs in one go,” said study author Sam England. - How should kids spend their summer? Not in AP classes, according to Ellen Braaten. The child psychologist [writes in this essay]( that kids have too much pressure on them — and not enough responsibility.  What We're Reading 📚 - Something Was Messing With Earth’s Axis. The Answer Has to Do With Us. ([The New York Times]( - He’s The Trans Son Of An Anti-Trans Influencer. It’s His Turn To Speak. ([HuffPost]( - ‘Who is the street serving?’: Bike lane battle brews on Boylston Street ([The Boston Globe](  Tell Me Something Good [A look inside the U.S. citizenship ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston]( Massachusetts became home to 263 new U.S. citizens on Monday; they are from 59 different countries including El Salvador, Guatemala, Iran, Ireland, Ukraine and Vietnam. [Read more.]( [A look inside the U.S. citizenship ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston]( Massachusetts became home to 263 new U.S. citizens on Monday; they are from 59 different countries including El Salvador, Guatemala, Iran, Ireland, Ukraine and Vietnam. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common [gives you the SparkNotes on our favorite beach reads this summer](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Bookmark this]( for the next time you need to get out-of-towners a gift. 😎 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 © 2023 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.