Eversource's underground experiment

Also: What would the Senate's new early ed bill do for you? 5 takeaways from the State of the Union [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 8, 2024 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 47. Good Morning Boston, The state of this newsletter is excited for the coming 6:45 p.m. sunsets. But before you [spring forward an hour]( this weekend, let's catch up on the news: - Chipping in for child care: The pool of families in Massachusetts that are eligible for state help paying their kids' [pricey child care]( could soon be growing. Yesterday, the state Senate unveiled [a new early education and child care bill]( joining Gov. Maura Healey's push to invest more in the sector (despite [sliding state revenues](. The [bill]( would make pandemic-era grants for child care providers permanent and incentivize providers to create a career ladder for workers. But the most direct form of support to residents struggling to keep up with [college tuition-level child care payments]( would be through an expansion of subsidies currently only offered to low-income families. - Right now, parents who make up to 50% of the state's median income qualify for state help paying for child care. That means the ceiling is $49,467 a year for a family of two, $61,106 for a family of three or $72,744 for a family of four. (See the full chart [here]( - The proposed changes: Like Healey's [proposal earlier this year]( the Senate bill would increase that ceiling to 85% — or $84,094 a year for a family of two, $103,880 for a family of three and $123,667 for a family of four. - How much does that help? It depends on your situation, including income and number of kids in care. (You can [use this calculator]( for an estimate of how much your family would have to pay after the subsidies.) The Senate's bill, however, would include a hard cap on payments to ensure no one who qualifies for subsidies pays more than 7% of the family's income on child care. It would also make it so those below [the poverty line]( pay nothing. - More families could eventually become eligible, too. While aspects mentioned above would be guaranteed, the bill's language also includes a plan to gradually increase the eligibility ceiling to 125% of the state's median income — if lawmakers allocate more child care support in future budgets. That would mean a single parent making up to $95,000 or family of four making up to $182,000 would be eligible for some financial help. - Next steps: Senate President Karen Spilka's office is planning a vote on the bill next Thursday, March 14. After that, we'll have to wait and see whether House leaders feel as ambitious. - The local angle: A Naval officer from Wakefield was among [the local guests]( at last night's State of the Union Address. But rather than being invited by a member of the Massachusetts delegation, Commander Shelby Nikitin was [First Lady Jill Biden's]( guest. Nikitin led recent Red Sea deployments to protect ships from [attacks by Houthi rebels]( and received the Bronze Star for her leadership. - ICYMI: Read [the five takeaways from Biden's fiery speech]( [watch the key moments on NPR's website](. There were also [off-script exchanges]( and[not one, but two Republican rebuttals](. - Orange you ready for a new T diversion: Today is the last day of the [most recent partial Green Line closure]( but shuttle buses will stick around this weekend. That's because the Orange Line will be suspended between Forest Hills and Ruggles stations all day Saturday and Sunday so crews can work on the signal system. - Free shuttles will [stop at all of the closed stations]( and the commuter rail will be free between Forest Hills and South Station (that includes Ruggles and Back Bay, too). - Calling all zombies: AMC's "The Walking Dead" sequel show is filming in the Boston area this April through July — and the crew is [looking for local residents to play extras](. Specifically, they're looking for three (somewhat specific) types: Athletes and people with military or law enforcement experience to play soldiers, "capable people with weathered faces" to play apocalypse survivors and "people who are very thin, tall and have flexible schedules" for zombies. - Pick up my guitar and play: Tanglewood is adding more big names to its summer lineup: Roger Daltrey, Brandi Carlisle and John Fogerty are now slated for June concerts. Check out the full summer schedule — which already includes James Taylor, The Pretenders, Kool and the Gang, and the Indigo Girls — [here](. P.S.— Why is a Massachusetts man suing the federal government for over $9 million? If you know, [take our Boston News Quiz]( and test your knowledge of this week's stories. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [A project in Mass. tests a future for gas utilities without fossil fuels]( Eversource is building the country's first gas utility-led networked geothermal system in Framingham. Environmentalists hope it can be a model for other gas utilities to wean themselves off of fossil fuels. [Read more.]( [A project in Mass. tests a future for gas utilities without fossil fuels]( Eversource is building the country's first gas utility-led networked geothermal system in Framingham. Environmentalists hope it can be a model for other gas utilities to wean themselves off of fossil fuels. [Read more.]( [Judge denies Donald Trump's request to delay $83.3 million payment to E. Jean Carroll]( Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said any financial harm to the Republican front-runner for the presidency results from Trump's slow response to the late-January verdict in the defamation case. [Read more.]( [Judge denies Donald Trump's request to delay $83.3 million payment to E. Jean Carroll]( Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said any financial harm to the Republican front-runner for the presidency results from Trump's slow response to the late-January verdict in the defamation case. [Read more.]( [Boston reparations task force will not complete work by end-of-year target]( The task force's chair said the group is still gathering research and does not expect to make its recommendations until 2025. [Read more.]( [Boston reparations task force will not complete work by end-of-year target]( The task force's chair said the group is still gathering research and does not expect to make its recommendations until 2025. [Read more.]( [Proposed transmission line for renewable power from Canada to New England canceled]( A major electrical transmission line proposal intended to carry power to New England from Canada through Vermont and New Hampshire has been canceled. Electric utility National Grid, one of the developers of the proposal, said in an emailed statement on Thursday that it “has determined that the project is not viable at this time.” [Read more.]( [Proposed transmission line for renewable power from Canada to New England canceled]( A major electrical transmission line proposal intended to carry power to New England from Canada through Vermont and New Hampshire has been canceled. Electric utility National Grid, one of the developers of the proposal, said in an emailed statement on Thursday that it “has determined that the project is not viable at this time.” [Read more.]( [Boston police arrest protesters at Dewey Square calling for cease-fire in Gaza]( Members of the activist group IfNotNow blocked the intersection of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue Thursday morning as an act of civil disobedience to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. [Read more.]( [Boston police arrest protesters at Dewey Square calling for cease-fire in Gaza]( Members of the activist group IfNotNow blocked the intersection of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue Thursday morning as an act of civil disobedience to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The two Boston-area producers behind the Frontline documentary "20 Days in Mariupol" [could be coming home from the Academy Awards this weekend with an Oscar](. But as film writer Erin Trahan writes, they feel they've already scored a win for journalism. - The TSA has unveiled [a self-service airport security line prototype](. According to TSA, "innovative screening solutions" are needed to address the rising number of flyers. Experts have some skepticism. - In 2021, the Western Massachusetts band Cloudbelly got some buzz for its lo-fi, folky first album. Now, WBUR's Amelia Mason reports [a new lineup and a bigger sound offer a fresh start]( for lead singer Corey Laitman's intimate songs. - Anita Diamant never met [the late fashion icon Iris Apfel]( in person, but she did spend an afternoon among the many delights of Apfel's storied closet at a Peabody Essex Museum exhibit in 2009. Diamant [writes in this Cognoscenti commentary]( that the experience sent her running from black clothing toward colors and (gasp) bold patterns. What We're Reading 📚 - SJC asks, do you have to put down a dying dog? ([CommonWealth Beacon]( - Duck Village in Somerville is a unique location with an odd name. Where did it come from? ([The Boston Globe]( - The Fight to Free Evan Gershkovich ([Time](  Food For Thought [Award-winning recipes to enjoy watching the Oscars]( You don’t want to be hopping up and down cooking, reheating and spending time in the kitchen. You need finger food that can be made ahead of time and served simply. [Read more.]( [Award-winning recipes to enjoy watching the Oscars]( You don’t want to be hopping up and down cooking, reheating and spending time in the kitchen. You need finger food that can be made ahead of time and served simply. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common has [more on the new Cloudbelly album](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Robert McCloskey would be proud.]( 😎 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.](   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.