Judge-ment day

Also: Class half-full in Newton; meet the man running against Sen. Warren [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  February 21, 2024 ⛅ Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. Good Morning Boston, By the looks of the [two-week forecast]( it seems like we have a better chance of getting [hit by space junk]( than an actual snowstorm this winter. Here's what else to watch out for today: - All eyes on… the Governor's Council? Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's decision to nominate appeals court judge — and former longtime partner — Gabrielle Wolohojian to the state's Supreme Judicial Court has [sparked a range of opinions]( from the local legal community's nodding approval to condemnation from the state GOP. But today, the nomination will go before the people whose opinions matter most on the subject: The eight members of the Governor's Council. During this morning's nomination hearing, the Council is expected to question Wolohojian on everything, from her qualifications to her past 12-year relationship with the governor. - The typically under-the-radar Council has [final say]( on the governor's judicial nominees, but this hearing is just for asking questions. They likely won't vote on Wolohojian's appointment until next month's meeting. Nominations need a simple majority, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll gets to break any ties. - What to expect: The Governor's Council has [rarely]( rejected any judicial nominations [in decades]( (though it happened [several times]( to former Gov. Deval Patrick, especially [after his lieutenant governor resigned](. Several Governor's Council members have already signaled support for Wolohojian, as [my WBUR colleagues]( and [the Boston Herald]( recently reported. Still, The Boston Globe [said]( at least two councilors plan to ask Wolohojian about cases in which she would consider recusing herself. - On the trail: Sen. Elizabeth Warren officially has a 2024 challenger. Republican John Deaton — a former U.S. Marine, lawyer and cryptocurrency investor — [announced his Senate campaign yesterday](. He launched his bid with a video highlighting his hardscrabble upbringing in Detroit. (Politico has [more colorful details on Deaton's background here]( - His pitch: In his video, Deaton said he's running for Senate to take on "greedy corporations" and "Washington insiders" to address affordable health care, inflation and the migrant crisis. - Between the lines: Deaton has also [frequently criticized]( Warren's [crypto-skepticism]( and moved from Rhode Island to Swansea last month after [wondering aloud about confronting her]( on the topic. - Meanwhile: Warren's office countered Deaton's big news with [a report detailing over $50 billion in federal funding]( that her team says she's helped secure for Massachusetts during her two terms. - Leave (Get Out): Meanwhile, Healey is [calling on troubled Steward Health Care to leave]( the hospital business in Massachusetts. [In a letter]( yesterday to Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre, Healey said it's time for new owners to take over the for-profit health care company "as soon as possible" and gave them three days to share financial records. (Health care companies in Massachusetts are required to file financial disclosures, but Steward has long [kept their records secret]( - Flashback: In 2017, Steward [sued Massachusetts]( in an attempt to keep its business records secret. While a Suffolk Superior Court judge ruled last year the state does have the authority to demand the company's financial statements, Steward is appealing the decision. - Know when to fold 'em: Cathy Judd-Stein, the chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, [announced yesterday]( that she plans to retire when her current five-year term expires a month from today, on March 21. The decision means Healey — who thanked Judd-Stein for leading the state's gambling sector through the pandemic and the launch of sports wagering — will get to appoint her first gaming commissioner as governor. (Technically, Healey [already made one appointment]( as attorney general.) - "Deeply concerning": Police are investigating allegations of racist bullying at Southwick Regional School in Western Massachusetts, including an alleged mock “slave auction” that some students held on social media involving their Black classmates. The Springfield chapter of the NAACP says the bullying is evidence that "[racism is being passed down from generation to generation]( The Hampden District Attorney's office is also investigating the allegations. P.S.— Spending school vacation week in the city? Boston's annual Children's Winter Festival kicks off this morning on the Common. The [free festival]( runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with music, giveaways, winter activities, treats and crafts. (And you can see our list of other free things to do with kiddos around town this week [here]( Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Classrooms roughly half-full for Newton's first day of makeup classes, officials say]( Teachers and school leaders say outside of low attendance, the vacation-day-turned-school-day felt pretty normal. [Read more.]( [Classrooms roughly half-full for Newton's first day of makeup classes, officials say]( Teachers and school leaders say outside of low attendance, the vacation-day-turned-school-day felt pretty normal. [Read more.]( [Supreme Court will hear challenge to EPA's 'good neighbor' rule that limits pollution]( The justices will consider whether to hit pause on a federal rule designed to reduce air pollution that drifts across states and can cause health troubles. [Read more.]( [Supreme Court will hear challenge to EPA's 'good neighbor' rule that limits pollution]( The justices will consider whether to hit pause on a federal rule designed to reduce air pollution that drifts across states and can cause health troubles. [Read more.]( [Personal injury firms look for people exposed to PFAS from Joint Base Cape Cod]( Attorneys estimate that more than 100 who’ve already joined the case were exposed to the so-called “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, thyroid diseases, fertility issues and more while working with firefighting foam on or around Joint Base Cape Cod. [Read more.]( [Personal injury firms look for people exposed to PFAS from Joint Base Cape Cod]( Attorneys estimate that more than 100 who’ve already joined the case were exposed to the so-called “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, thyroid diseases, fertility issues and more while working with firefighting foam on or around Joint Base Cape Cod. [Read more.]( [Man accused of killing wife sentenced in separate case involving sale of fake Andy Warhol paintings]( A Massachusetts man charged with killing his wife has been sentenced to more than three years behind bars in an unrelated art fraud case. Forty-nine-year-old Brian Walshe was sentenced to 37 months on Tuesday in federal court for selling two fake Andy Warhol paintings. [Read more.]( [Man accused of killing wife sentenced in separate case involving sale of fake Andy Warhol paintings]( A Massachusetts man charged with killing his wife has been sentenced to more than three years behind bars in an unrelated art fraud case. Forty-nine-year-old Brian Walshe was sentenced to 37 months on Tuesday in federal court for selling two fake Andy Warhol paintings. [Read more.]( [Trump faces some half a billion dollars in legal penalties. How will he pay them?]( Donald Trump owes legal penalties totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in two civil cases recently decided in New York, raising questions about how he'll pay the amount. [Read more.]( [Trump faces some half a billion dollars in legal penalties. How will he pay them?]( Donald Trump owes legal penalties totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in two civil cases recently decided in New York, raising questions about how he'll pay the amount. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - A team of rescuers [spent more than 10 hours over the weekend saving a hiker]( on New Hampshire's Mount Washington, amid sustained 90 mph winds and a -52 degree windchill. (The mission would have taken even longer if it weren't for the Cog Railway mounting a snowblower and bringing the rescuers part-way to the location.) - The Appalachian Mountain Club's Pinkham Notch Visitor Center shared an [important reminder]( after the rescue that "summiting Mt. Washington in winter is a serious undertaking" that requires a "significant amount of planning and preparation" including "consulting with experts, reading reference materials, and checking relevant conditions such as mountain weather and avalanche risk." - After 16 seasons and three Super Bowls, longtime New England Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater is [calling it a career](. - In [his review]( of Wim Wenders' "Perfect Days," film critic Sean Burns says "it may sound strange to say that some of the most beautiful filmmaking you’ll see this year is in a movie about a man who cleans toilets, but there are passages that took my breath away." - The uncrewed lunar lander Odysseus is scheduled to attempt its first moon landing by a private company tomorrow. Joelle Renstrom [writes in this Cognoscenti essay]( that it would be a much-needed win for American space flight, underscoring the fundamental role public-private partnerships could play in the nation's space future.  What We're Reading 📚 - The rise and fall of Drizly, one of Boston’s great startup stories ([The Boston Globe]( - Why The New York Times might win its copyright lawsuit against OpenAI ([Understanding AI]( - The Best, Weirdest, Wildest Performances of the Year ([The New York Times Magazine](  Food For Thought [British columnist thinks Boston eats too many bowls. Do we? (Boston.com)]( Yes, bowls are popular in Boston, and have been in the U.S. for years. But according to a British columnist, we enjoy too much of it. [Read more.]( [British columnist thinks Boston eats too many bowls. Do we? (Boston.com)]( Yes, bowls are popular in Boston, and have been in the U.S. for years. But according to a British columnist, we enjoy too much of it. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common takes [a look at what happened in Milton]( — and what it can tell us about the appetite for tackling the housing crisis. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Now that "True Detective" is over...]( 😎 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.