News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: HAPPY HOUR comeback — COVID CASES on the RISE — Baker, lawmakers TUSSLE over FED AID

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: HAPPY HOUR comeback — COVID CASES on the RISE — Baker, lawmakers TUSSLE over FED AID — CAMPBELL’S NEW AD

Jul 21, 2021

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FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CHEERS TO THAT — As bars and restaurants roar back to life, a strong majority of residents would like to see long-banned happy hours return along with them.

A new MassINC Polling Group survey shows 70% of Bay State residents would support allowing bars and restaurants to offer discounted after-work drinks again, while only 20% oppose the idea. Of that majority, 38% are strongly in favor of bringing back happy hour, and 32% are somewhat in favor of it.

Massachusetts banned happy hour in 1984 after a young woman was killed in a drunk-driving incident on the South Shore. Efforts to ease the restrictions on discounted drinks haven't progressed on Beacon Hill. Gov. Charlie Baker said in 2015 that he's got "no problem with the fact that we don't discount alcohol" even if it makes him an "old fuddy-duddy."

But residents seem ready to raise their glasses to happy hour once more, per the MassINC poll of 1,453 residents that was conducted for the Mass Reboot podcast , a weekly series about restarting Massachusetts post-pandemic. The fourth episode, "Food," will be out later today.

The poll also showed similar majorities support continuing to-go alcoholic beverage sales and keeping expanded outdoor dining — even if it comes at the expense of parking. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed support keeping to-go cocktails and other drinks, a pandemic-era policy now extended through May 1, 2022, compared to 27% who oppose the practice. A larger majority, 72%, support eating up street space for outdoor dining, while 19% are against it. The state eased permitting for expanded outdoor dining through April 1.

"People are thinking differently about restaurants now and are supportive of new models," MassINC Polling Group President Steve Koczela told me. "This includes things like expanded outdoor dining and cocktails to-go as well as happy hour."

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. A Bourne community activist and Donald Trump supporter who died of severe complications from Covid-19 last week ended up trending on Twitter Tuesday after users seized on her reportedly unvaccinated status to rip Trumpers for eschewing the shots.

Linda Zuern, a stalwart conservative and respected community member who held leadership positions on local Republican committees and served on several town boards, died at Brigham and Women's Hospital on Friday. She was transported there by MedFlight from Cape Cod in June, and had been in a coma on a ventilator, according to the Cape Cod Times. She was 70.

Zuern was a member of the United Cape Patriots, a self-described "grassroots conservative movement" on Cape Cod that frequently held standouts in support of Trump. A handful of its members protested the state-sponsored "VaxBus" when it rolled into Provincetown last week, where Covid-19 cases are on the rise. The group claims on its website that it's "not anti-Vaxx" but is "pro medical freedom, and believe people need all the facts before they take an experimental vaccine that is racking up a spike in bad health outcomes."

As Zuern's name trended alongside "Unvaccinated Trump" — a reference to his supporters, the ex-president is vaccinated — MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons ripped the Twitter commentators' "lack of respect and common decency." He praised Zuern as a "great lady who served her community in so many different ways" and who was "unafraid to stand for her conservative values."

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, state and local officials make a Shared Streets Program grant announcement at 9 a.m. in Dedham. Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards endorses colleague Michelle Wu for mayor at 10:30 a.m. at LoPresti Park. City Councilor and Boston mayoral hopeful Andrea Campbell hosts a news conference at 11:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza to demand the release of the city's Patrick Rose report. State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz hosts a virtual town hall on pandemic recovery for Second Suffolk District residents at 5:30 p.m. Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey speaks at a virtual meeting for Mattapan residents on vaccine distribution at 6 p.m.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts coronavirus cases rise 366, the highest single-day count since late May," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The 366 COVID cases are the first single-day infection tally that has surpassed 300 cases since May 26. … The seven-day average of cases is now 218 daily cases, which is more than triple the 64 daily cases reported in late June."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– State lawmakers made clear yesterday they're in no rush to dole out nearly $5 billion in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funding, even as Gov. Charlie Baker said "time is of the essence" to address urgent needs and community advocates have previously urged expediency . At least one lawmaker indicated hearings on how best to spend the federal aid could stretch into the fall. And economic experts who testified yesterday largely gave credence to the legislature's slow-roll plan.

– Go in-depth with the Boston Globe's Emma Platoff: "In hearing, Baker tells Legislature 'time is of the essence' for spending federal COVID aid."

– And the Boston Herald's Erin Tiernan: "Economic experts back Massachusetts Legislature's slow approach to spending federal coronavirus relief dollars."

– More: "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's $186 million ARPA investment leaves little for COVID variant response, top state Democrats say," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker has already announced plans to dedicate $186 million — nearly all of the federal funding under his control — to skills training, hospital relief and mental health services. Now Democratic legislative leaders are questioning the Republican governor's decision, saying the $200 million at the Baker administration's disposal should have been set aside in case Massachusetts faces a COVID variant breakout or a different public health emergency."

– "Worker advocates blast state — again — for failing to protect workers from COVID," by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: "A group of labor advocates is once again decrying the state's inaction on COVID-19 workplace safety, citing its decisions to drop Massachusetts regulations on masking, distancing, and sanitization and to disregard new federal protections for public-sector health care workers. The Department of Labor Standards is holding a public hearing Wednesday about eliminating the state regulations, and the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health and a group of unions plan to testify about the dangers of potentially exposing workers to the virus."

– "Activists seek moratorium on prison construction," by Lily Robinson, CommonWealth Magazine: "The bill being pushed by [State Sen. Jo Comerford], formerly incarcerated people, and prison justice advocates would implement a five-year moratorium on investments in incarceration. That includes studying, designing, expanding, or building new jails and prisons within the state. The bill comes in response to a move by the state to invest $50 million to construct a new women's prison to replace the deteriorating MCI-Framingham."

– "Budget provision sets standard on visa document," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "The provision, initially filed by Sen. Mark Montigny of New Bedford and Reps. Tram Nguyen of Andover and Patricia Haddad of Somerset, requires state agencies and local law enforcement offices to assist immigrants who testify in criminal cases or are victims of human trafficking and domestic violence with documentation they need to apply for two types of visas."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Cape Cod is weathering a surge in COVID cases at the height of tourism season — including many among vaccinated people," by Kay Lazar and Camille Caldera, Boston Globe: "State officials dispatched teams of health workers to Cape Cod and issued new safety guidance amid worrisome signs Tuesday that COVID cases are on the rise across the renowned summer playground. Despite having one of the most vaccinated populations in the state, Cape Cod now has the highest rate of new COVID cases in Massachusetts. Health officials are battling an outbreak in Provincetown that has infected at least 132 people since July 1 — most of them vaccinated — as well as a cluster in a Yarmouth nursing home, where as many as 33 residents and staff are infected, many of them already vaccinated, too."

– "Provincetown coronavirus cluster: Boston residents who visited Cape town should get tested and avoid groups, city says," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Boston residents who recently visited Provincetown are urged to get tested for coronavirus and stay away from groups in the wake of the Cape town's COVID cluster. At least 35 virus cases in Boston residents have been traced back to the Provincetown cluster of 132 positive cases. Of the 35 Boston cases, the 'overwhelming majority' have been people who are fully vaccinated..."

– "'Shockingly low': How Mattapan came to have Boston's lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "In Mattapan, where Black residents account for approximately 75 percent of the neighborhood's population — a greater percentage than anywhere else in Boston — a mere 39 percent of all individuals are fully vaccinated, less than in any other neighborhood, city data shows."

– "More than half of Mass. children ages 12 to 15 have received a COVID-19 shot, but push may have plateaued," by Camille Caldera, Boston Globe: "Ten weeks after they became eligible, 55 percent of children ages 12 to 15 in Massachusetts have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While that's higher than the national average, local disease experts are concerned that vaccinations for that age range are starting to plateau in the critical run-up to the start of school in the fall."

FROM THE HUB

– "Boston police emphasize de-escalation, disengagement in mental health calls," by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "If denied entry, disengage. If a person facing involuntary hospitalization becomes combative or refuses services, disengage. No more restraints. No more forced entry. Leave and try again later. De-escalation is the essence of the Boston Police Department's new rules of engagement, distributed departmentwide last week, for interacting with people in mental health crises."

– "What Would It Take for Boston to Become a Car-Free City?" by Rachel Slade, Boston Magazine: "To entice the newly liberated worker and the newly hybrid company, Boston will need to become truly livable. That means abandoning its midcentury car-centric mentality for real. To free us from cars, policymakers will need to nurture urban life at a much more granular level and shift resources from drivability to livability. With a crowded mayor's race under way, we've got a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the city into a place we can call home."

– "After a year of tensions with district leaders, Boston teachers propose new contract to improve working conditions," by Jenna Russell, Boston Globe: "With weeks to go until the start of the new school year — and the expiration of their current labor contract — the Boston Teachers Union unveiled a sweeping package of proposals for new policies and investments aimed at upgrading aging school buildings, improving working conditions for educators, and better supporting the system's most vulnerable students."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– The "Better Boston" super PAC backing Andrea Campbell in the Boston mayor's race is out with a new ad highlighting how she overcame the "hard" circumstances of her childhood to graduate from Princeton and become the first Black woman to serve as Boston City Council president. "Now she's running for mayor because to Andrea, helping people is personal," the narrator says in the 30-second spot.

"The System," which was uploaded to the PAC's YouTube page on Tuesday and was seen on television that night, follows "Personal," which was released back in June. It wasn't immediately clear how much the PAC spent on the new ad. The group plans to be up on broadcast and cable through the summer.

– "Owning a home in Boston is hard. Would-be mayors — all homeowners themselves — aim to make it easier," by Andy Rosen, Boston Globe: "In a city where two-thirds of residents are renters and housing costs are through the roof, the major candidates say their journey to homeownership — and the stability it represents — informs their efforts to help more people put down roots here and build the wealth that can help them to stay."

– "Heavily Latino SEIU Backs Janey For Boston Mayor," by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: "[32BJ SEIU] has endorsed Acting Mayor Kim Janey's bid to win a full, four-year term. It's a move that could improve Janey's standing among Latino and immigrant voters, add volunteers to her ranks and provide additional campaign funds."

– "Edwards, influential city councilor from East Boston, endorses Wu for mayor," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "City Councilor Michelle Wu has won the endorsement of fellow Councilor Lydia Edwards, a close colleague and a powerful political ally from East Boston, a strategic neighborhood in what has become a heated race for mayor."

– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo has endorsed Ruthzee Louijeune for Boston City Council at-large. "Born and raised in the neighborhoods of Mattapan and Hyde Park, which I represent, Ruthzee's life experiences and her professional track record leave no doubt she'll be an excellent public servant," Arroyo said in a statement through the campaign.

FEELING '22

– "Charlie Baker's Cape Cod fundraiser back on the books for September," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "A high-profile Cape Cod fundraiser for Gov. Charlie Baker is back on the books, the Herald has learned, rescheduled for September after an erroneous invitation forced the campaign to cancel. The soiree for both Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito at public relations executive George Regan's Mashpee estate is now scheduled for Sept. 2, campaign adviser Jim Conroy confirmed."

FROM THE DELEGATION

– "Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez press Congress to work Civilian Climate Corps into final budget reconciliation bill," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "The final annual budget bill should include a new Civilian Climate Corps to create one million-plus union jobs that bolster energy and climate projects across the country, according to more than 80 lawmakers, including Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts."

– "Elizabeth Warren says Jeff Bezos 'forgot to thank all the hardworking Americans who actually paid taxes' after his space flight," by Azmi Haroun and Juliana Kaplan, Insider: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren took a jab at Jeff Bezos after the world's richest man returned to Earth from his suborbital space trip with Blue Origin."

DATELINE D.C.

– The CEO and co-founder of ARCHANGELS, a women-owned Massachusetts startup that works to support unpaid caregivers, is urging Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to make sure investments in home and community based services are included in the Senate's upcoming $3.5 trillion spending plan.

Seventy percent of caregivers reported adverse mental health symptoms ranging from anxiety to suicidal thoughts in a nationwide study of the effects of Covid-19 on unpaid caregivers by ARCHANGELS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alexandra Drane said in a letter to the lawmakers. She's hoping the senators, who already support President Joe Biden's plan to invest more in the care economy, will make sure "more funding and resources can be delivered to our caregivers now."

EX-PATS

– "Tom Brady returns to the White House — and gets a little political," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Recalling the Bucs' run to upset the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl next to President Joe Biden, the 43-year-old quarterback jokingly compared the team's doubters to the strikingly large percentage of Americans who believe Trump's unfounded claims that widespread voter fraud swung the 2020 election." Labor Secretary Marty Walsh was there, too.

FROM THE 413

– "Southwick petition for massive online car dealership withdrawn: Carvana pledges to look elsewhere," by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: "Facing massive opposition and possible lawsuits, an online used car distribution center withdrew its plans Tuesday night to build a 200,000 square-foot business on a 137-acre tobacco field in a rowdy meeting that drew cheers and jeers from a large and sometimes unruly crowd."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Harvard report: Pandemic affect on kids shows negative academic and social impacts," by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: "Parents overwhelmingly feel as though their child's academic and social development has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, according to a Harvard report, and even toddlers had more temper tantrums and sadness."

– "How Mass. May Use Millions From Opioid Settlements," by Martha Bebinger, WBUR: "An advisory group has started hashing out criteria for how the state will use millions of dollars that has already started flowing from multiple lawsuits stemming from the opioid crisis. Counseling for children who've lost a parent to overdose. Mobile vans distributing clean needles and treatment to rural areas. More job training for former drug users coming out of jail. Recovery programs with black, brown and multilingual staff. Those are a few of the dozens of ways the group suggests..."

– "Haverhill Mayor Says He Supports Overhauling City's Electoral System," by Jenifer B. McKim, GBH News: "Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Tuesday he plans to re-open talks with city councilors about overhauling the city's entirely at-large election process, one day after receiving a letter from a group of civil rights lawyers seeking to diversify the city's political leadership and threatening litigation."

MEDIA MATTERS

– IN MEMORIAM: "WBZ Mourns Loss Of Longtime Colleague And Friend Jim 'Murph' Murphy."

TRANSITIONS – Valerie Buvat de Virginy has joined Assistant House Speaker Rep. Katherine Clark's staff as press assistant. She is an alum of Sen. Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign in Iowa. Alex Vuskovic, former campaign manager for Becky Grossman for Congress, joins Deliver Strategies as vice president.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to NBC 10 Boston digital producer Mary Markos, Dracut state Rep. Colleen Garry, former MassDems chair Phil Johnston, Sara Seager and Rachel Nieves.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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