New year, same MBTA closures

Also: 2024 brings Mass. child tax credits, but no minimum wage bump; Boston City Council's new leader [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  January 2, 2024 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 40. Good Morning Boston, It's a new year! While we get to work on [the resolutions you all suggested for Boston in 2024]( (mine is fewer rainy weekends 🤞), here's a look at what's ahead during this first week of the year: - The MBTA is resolving to [get rid of slow zones in 2024]( — and that effort begins with another big Green Line closure covering over two-thirds of January. Starting tomorrow, the T shuts down trolley service between North Station and Kenmore, as well as the entire southern leg of E branch and part of the B branch (out to Babcock Street). The closure runs through Jan. 12, and will be followed shortly after by another identical 13-day diversion from Jan. 16 to 28. In other words, it's basically one long closure running almost all of January, with a Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend break in the middle. (Just keep repeating the mantra: "[short-term pain for long-term wins]( - How to get around it: The two shutdowns are mostly the same as [the Green Line shutdown that happened just over a month]( ago, with one small difference: Shuttle buses will drop off riders directly at Back Bay station (rather than Copley) so they can take the Orange Line if they're going downtown. Otherwise, you can still [refer to our guide to the previous Green Line diversion]( for a branch-by-branch breakdown of your transportation options. (The commuter rail will again be free between South Station and Lansdowne, as will the 39 and 57 buses.) - What else: The T also scheduled more Green Line Extension shutdowns so contractors can [finish fixing the defective tracks](. The plan includes two weekend shutdowns this month (Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 20-21) and nighttime closures starting at 8:45 p.m. on most weekdays — though those don't start until next week. - [Click here]( the T's full guide to all the Green Line and Green Line Extension disruptions and detours this month. You look familiar. (MBTA) - The Boston City Council officially has a new leader: Ruthzee Louijeune was elected by her colleagues yesterday to be the chamber's new president. The at-large councilor and Hyde Park native — who was the top vote-getter in November's election — is the first Haitian-American and third Black woman to serve as Council president. - Why it matters: The Council president has the power to give fellow councilors ([or strip them of]( committee leadership positions, as well as lead meetings. The council president also steps in as acting mayor if the mayor goes out of town or leaves office. - Zoom out: After [two divisive and messy years]( the Council swore in four new members yesterday, and Louijeune tried to ring in 2024 on a unifying note. WBUR's Arielle Gray has [more here](. - The minimum wage went up yesterday in four New England states — though not Massachusetts. For the first time since 2018, the Bay State will see no bump in its minimum wage. In fact, Connecticut is [taking the lead in New England's minimum wage race]( after tying its rate to inflation. While the minimum wage will remain at $15-an-hour here, Connecticut's will go up to $15.69. - What's next: WBUR's Zeninjor Enwemeka reports some labor advocates are expected to [ramp up their push for a $20-an-hour minimum wage in Massachusetts]( this year. After forgoing a 2024 ballot campaign, supporters are focusing their advocacy on the State House. (That said, there is [a potential 2024 ballot question]( that would raise Massachusetts' tipped minimum wage.) - Ballot battles: President Joe Biden's two long-shot Democratic primary challengers will be on the ballot in Massachusetts after all. Secretary of State Bill Galvin announced yesterday that Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson are both nationally recognizable candidates and will be on the March 5 primary ballot — even after the state Democratic party [only submitted Biden's name](. - Next steps: Galvin will hold the random drawing for the order of names on the state's presidential primary ballots today at 11 a.m. - Buses in the New Bedford and Fall River area are free for the next six months. Thanks to a state grant, the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority is eliminating its $1.50-per-ride fare for all of its routes through June. Check out the schedules [here](. P.S.— CitySpace is kicking off the New Year with a [Tiziana Dearing-led discussion this Thursday]( about the industrial wellness complex and principles for genuine self-care. [Check out the full 2024 winter lineup]( to see all the events coming up this season and snag your tickets early! Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [To tackle poverty, more states — including Massachusetts — will offer bigger child tax credits in 2024]( The new benefits take a cue from a pandemic success story — when an expanded U.S. child tax credit briefly cut child poverty in half. Some states include immigrants and index credits to inflation. [Read more.]( [To tackle poverty, more states — including Massachusetts — will offer bigger child tax credits in 2024]( The new benefits take a cue from a pandemic success story — when an expanded U.S. child tax credit briefly cut child poverty in half. Some states include immigrants and index credits to inflation. [Read more.]( [Mass. fined local housing authorities $4 million for leaving units empty. But most were forgiven, or forgotten]( The fines are one of the state's main tools to push local housing agencies to fill empty units, but they were largely meaningless for years because the state failed to enforce them. [Read more.]( [Mass. fined local housing authorities $4 million for leaving units empty. But most were forgiven, or forgotten]( The fines are one of the state's main tools to push local housing agencies to fill empty units, but they were largely meaningless for years because the state failed to enforce them. [Read more.]( [Maine state official who removed Trump from ballot was targeted in swatting call]( A fake swatting call was made to the home of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Bellows says she, her family and her workers have been targeted since she removed former President Donald Trump's name Thursday from the Maine ballot, citing the Constitution's insurrection clause. [Read more.]( [Maine state official who removed Trump from ballot was targeted in swatting call]( A fake swatting call was made to the home of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Bellows says she, her family and her workers have been targeted since she removed former President Donald Trump's name Thursday from the Maine ballot, citing the Constitution's insurrection clause. [Read more.]( [Mass. cities, towns cautious or confused about how to spend millions in opioid settlement funds]( Money from the settlement of opioid-related lawsuits is pouring into Massachusetts. The state has set spending priorities and is awarding grants. But most municipalities haven't spent any of the more than $51 million delivered since payments began in July of 2022. [Read more.]( [Mass. cities, towns cautious or confused about how to spend millions in opioid settlement funds]( Money from the settlement of opioid-related lawsuits is pouring into Massachusetts. The state has set spending priorities and is awarding grants. But most municipalities haven't spent any of the more than $51 million delivered since payments began in July of 2022. [Read more.]( [A shorebird with 'a lot of personality' makes a comeback]( The population of the American Oystercatcher has increased 45% over the last 15 years. Most coastal birds the United States are declining because of habitat loss, human disturbance and climate change. [Read more.]( [A shorebird with 'a lot of personality' makes a comeback]( The population of the American Oystercatcher has increased 45% over the last 15 years. Most coastal birds the United States are declining because of habitat loss, human disturbance and climate change. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Go west: The pilot program that let Boston-area bus riders browse and borrow audiobooks, eBooks and online newspapers is [expanding to several parts of Western Massachusetts]( (and maybe the Cape). - The Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies will play in next week's national college football championship, after the two undefeated teams [both won dramatic semifinal contests last night]( (one of which featured [this very good boy](. - Zygmunt Plater argued – and won – the first case under the Endangered Species Act to go before the U.S. Supreme Court. The story of the tiny snail darter fish is still important, he [writes in this essay](. - ICYMI: The Red Sox [traded former ace pitcher Chris Sale over the weekend to the Atlanta Braves]( after several injury-riddled seasons. In return, the Sox are getting 22-year-old infielder Vaughn Grissom, who hit at home run at Fenway Park during his MLB debut in 2022. (They're also sending the Braves some cash to cover Sale's salary.)  What We're Reading 📚 - He Killed His Molester as a Teenager. Should He Be Spared Deportation? ([The New York Times]( - I Vote on Plagiarism Cases at Harvard College. Gay’s Getting off Easy. ([The Harvard Crimson]( - The $600,000 problem: Why does it cost so much to build in Greater Boston, and what can be done? ([The Boston Globe](  Life Advice [Hack, rizz, slay and other cringe-worthy words to avoid in 2024]( Do your New Year’s resolutions include improving your vocabulary? Then the 2024 Banished Words List is for you. [Read more.]( [Hack, rizz, slay and other cringe-worthy words to avoid in 2024]( Do your New Year’s resolutions include improving your vocabulary? Then the 2024 Banished Words List is for you. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common looks at [what local wage gap data can tell us about pay equity in Boston](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Tar-Jay? No, Tah-get.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 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.