A new view of that dirty water

Also: EPA says Charles River cleanup stalled; the aquarium's new penguin chick is thriving [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 4, 2023 🌧️ Rainy through the afternoon, with a high of 80. Good Morning Boston, TGIF! Let's start with some housekeeping: I'm going on vacation, and so is WBUR Today. We're pausing the newsletter next week. In the meantime, bookmark [wbur.org]( for any breaking news — like if [a certain governor signs a certain overdue budget](. You can also [sign up for our Saturday morning newsletter]( (if you haven't already) to get the week's must-read stories. Or take a break from the news and [read a book]( instead. Either way, we'll be back in your inboxes Monday, Aug. 14. - In case you, too, have a trip to the beach planned in the near future, Massachusetts health officials have rolled out a tool to help locals stay up to date on all the recent beach closures. This summer's [heavy rain]( has led to dozens of daily beach closings [due to bacteria]( levels. And the new "[Interactive Beach Water Quality Dashboard]( released by the state's Department of Public Health, lists which beaches are closed and offers more detailed information than the [old online closings list](. (Not to mention, it has a cool color-coded map). - To be clear: You can still visit beaches marked as closed. Just don't go in the water (or [risk some not-so-fun results](. - What exactly is so great about the new dashboard? - It's updated twice a day (at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.) - You can search for beaches by town and see if they're open or closed. The dashboard also displays a history of test results. For example, Malibu Beach in Dorchester remains closed after tests showed bacteria levels spiked way above safe levels earlier this week. - For a big-picture view, the dashboard includes a map showing all of the state's beaches with clickable green, yellow and red dots indicating their status. - What's the current status? The dashboard as of this morning shows 51 beaches are closed. But as WBUR's Ally Jarmanning [reports]( water quality clears relatively quickly. So it could be worth keeping an eye on the dashboard when 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. come around. - In related news: It may not be ideal beach weather, but [all six beaches]( on the Cape Cod National Seashore are free today. The National Park Service is [waiving entrance pass requirements]( to celebrate the third anniversary of the [Great American Outdoors Act](. - Boston's historic Old South Meeting House — where the Boston Tea Party was planned — is getting nearly half a million dollars for renovations ahead of its 250th anniversary this December. Sen. Ed Markey's office says the federal funding will repair water damage that has begun to corrode the building's frame and foundation, plus weatherize the landmark against future storms. - A longtime Hull police sergeant [has been pulled off the job after being arrested for allegedly assaulting an older neighbor]( in Pembroke. According to court records, 46-year-old Scott Saunders pushed his neighbor Harry Horsley to the ground and punched him, after Horsley allegedly drove close to him as he was walking along the road. - A witness captured video of the end of the physical confrontation — [obtained here by Boston 25 News](. It shows Saunders, who was off-duty, pushing and sitting on top of a bloodied Horsley. - Reminder for Red Line riders: The entire Braintree branch is [shut down for the weekend beginning tonight at 8:45 p.m.]( so that crews can work on the tracks to address slow zones. (Commuter rail service along the Red Line [will also be suspended]( - There'll be free shuttle service for all stops south of JFK/UMass, as well as an express shuttle bus from South Station to Braintree. - Care for a free ride? BlueBikes is offering free "[Adventure Passes]( every Monday in August in recognition of National Wellness Month. - What's an Adventure Pass? The offer means you'll be able to take out a BlueBike for free for up to two hours — as many times as you want — on each of the four Mondays this month. P.S. — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order this week banning the use of what in new construction and major renovations of city buildings? If you think you know the answer, [take our Boston News Quiz]( to find out. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Jet taking off without permission led to near-miss at Logan in February, NTSB report finds]( The captain of the Hop-A-Jet said he heard air traffic controllers tell him to line up and wait before taking off — and even repeated the order back to the controller — “but in his mind, they were cleared for takeoff,” the NTSB said. [Read more.]( [Jet taking off without permission led to near-miss at Logan in February, NTSB report finds]( The captain of the Hop-A-Jet said he heard air traffic controllers tell him to line up and wait before taking off — and even repeated the order back to the controller — “but in his mind, they were cleared for takeoff,” the NTSB said. [Read more.]( [Charles River cleanup improvements 'stalled,' says annual EPA report card]( The Environmental Protection Agency's annual "report card" for Boston’s three major rivers -- the Charles, Mystic and Neponset -- gave some As and Bs but highlighted some problems areas. Challenges include sewage overflows, stormwater pollution, low water levels and increased heat from climate change. [Read more.]( [Charles River cleanup improvements 'stalled,' says annual EPA report card]( The Environmental Protection Agency's annual "report card" for Boston’s three major rivers -- the Charles, Mystic and Neponset -- gave some As and Bs but highlighted some problems areas. Challenges include sewage overflows, stormwater pollution, low water levels and increased heat from climate change. [Read more.]( [In New Hampshire, Trump's deepening legal challenges divide the Republican field]( While some candidates call for Trump to step out of the race, others defend the former president on the campaign trail. [Read more.]( [In New Hampshire, Trump's deepening legal challenges divide the Republican field]( While some candidates call for Trump to step out of the race, others defend the former president on the campaign trail. [Read more.]( [Cape Cod Baseball League celebrates 100 years as pathway from college to majors]( For 100 years, the Cape Cod League has given top college players the opportunity to hone their skills and show off for scouts while facing other top talent from around the country. [Read more.]( [Cape Cod Baseball League celebrates 100 years as pathway from college to majors]( For 100 years, the Cape Cod League has given top college players the opportunity to hone their skills and show off for scouts while facing other top talent from around the country. [Read more.]( [State budget skimps on East-West rail projects, but funding still secured]( The more sweeping set of projects associated with expanded passenger rail between Boston and the western part of the state may not have won approval from the Legislature, but funding for smaller projects in Palmer and Pittsfield have been secured through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's capital plan. [Read more.]( [State budget skimps on East-West rail projects, but funding still secured]( The more sweeping set of projects associated with expanded passenger rail between Boston and the western part of the state may not have won approval from the Legislature, but funding for smaller projects in Palmer and Pittsfield have been secured through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's capital plan. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - While his predecessor [appeared in court yesterday]( President Joe Biden is spending the week at the beach. Here's [a look at the tricky art of Biden's presidential vacation]( which has included several bike rides and a trip to see the movie "Oppenheimer." - The Women's World Cup advances to its high-stakes knockout stages this weekend. Here's [a look at the storylines]( including the notable early exits, teams with momentum and the outlook for the USWNT. - Tom Brady celebrated his 46th birthday yesterday by getting involved in a different kind of football. The NFL legend [bought a stake in the second-tier English soccer team Birmingham City FC](. And while he admitted he doesn't know much about soccer, Brady said he could share some tips about "winning." (TBD if he can replicate Ted Lasso's success and get Birmingham promoted back to the Premier League.) - Our Cognoscenti opinion section has published three essay this week reacting to news of Donald Trump's indictment on Jan. 6 charges: - From Steve Almond: [Donald Trump and the trap door]( - From Robert C. Bordone and Kevin Keystone: [The best outcome for Trump and American democracy? Consider a plea deal]( - From H. L. M. Lee: [What Trump tried to take from me and families like mine](  What We're Reading 📚 This section is supported by [Beacon Hill Books]( a new independent bookstore. - Did big expectations doom the tiny house movement? ([Grist]( - This New England neo-Nazi group is getting bigger and scarier, experts say. Most troubling: Military vets fill its ranks. ([The Boston Globe]( - Switched at Birth, Two Canadians Discover Their Roots at 67 ([The New York Times]( - This whale may be the largest animal ever. We have no idea how it got that big. ([Washington Post](  Tell Me Something Good [Penguin chick is healthy and 'thriving' after assisted hatch at New England Aquarium]( A penguin chick who struggled to come out of its shell at the New England Aquarium earlier this summer, requiring staff to perform an assisted hatch, has graduated from drinking a specialized formula to eating full fish. She could join a colony of penguins this fall. [Read more.]( [Penguin chick is healthy and 'thriving' after assisted hatch at New England Aquarium]( A penguin chick who struggled to come out of its shell at the New England Aquarium earlier this summer, requiring staff to perform an assisted hatch, has graduated from drinking a specialized formula to eating full fish. She could join a colony of penguins this fall. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common [turns the show over to the parents of WBUR]( to tell us how their kids have been making the most of summer vacation. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Matt Shearer vs. the slide.]( 😎 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.