| | | | |  | | By Lisa Kashinsky and Kelly Garrity | PACK YOUR BAGS — Gov. Maura Healey is going global. Just shy of six months into her first term, the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Irish immigrants is heading to their homeland on Sunday for her first official international trip. It’s one of the more symbolic trade missions a Massachusetts governor has embarked on in recent memory: — The state’s first openly lesbian governor and one of the first two elected nationwide, Healey will be addressing the Irish Senate on the 30th anniversary of the country’s decriminalization of homosexuality. She's also meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s first openly gay prime minister. — She’s also marking the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic state visit to Ireland. — And, because there are always more Massachusetts connections to be had, Healey’s doing it all at the invitation of U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin, the former state House majority leader, along with Irish Senate leader Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer and the JFK Library Foundation. It’s also one of the earliest official trips abroad by a governor in decades. Charlie Baker’s first overseas trade mission was to Israel in 2016, more than a year into his first term. Deval Patrick’s first official trip abroad was to China in late 2007, almost a full year into his first term. Mitt Romney planned a trade mission to Israel in 2005 but later canceled it. Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci embarked on some two dozen trade missions between them. Weld’s first, to Asia in 1991, came in August of his first year in office. Cellucci made three international trips during his first six months as governor in 1999 — to Paris, Ireland and Nova Scotia. Healey is bringing along her energy and economic secretaries for business development meetings with Irish leaders and roundtables on technology and clean energy hosted by Cambridge-based software company HubSpot and UMass Lowell. She’ll be joined by a host of familiar faces, including UMass President Marty Meehan and Massachusetts Competitive Partnership President and CEO Jay Ash. Healey's trip shows she “understands the important, significant friendship between Ireland and the United States — not just culturally, but also trade,” Boston City Council President Ed Flynn told Playbook. It's also "a wonderful opportunity to recommit ourselves to the dignity of all people, including the LGBTQ community," he said. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll will be acting governor from Healey's departure on Sunday through her return on June 30. Here's a look at Healey's Ireland itinerary and who's paying for it. TODAY — Healey, Driscoll and education officials unveil a new health and physical education curriculum framework at 10 a.m. at the State House. Healey attends a Massport meeting at 11:30 a.m. at Logan Airport and joins Driscoll for a Pride Month celebration at 3:30 p.m. at the State House. Driscoll is at the Museum of Science at 11:30 a.m., a Driving Families Forward Coalition event at 1 p.m. at the Rose Kennedy Greenway and a scholarship dinner in Quincy at 6 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends the 10th Concert in the Park at 5 p.m. in Post Office Square. Sen. Ed Markey hosts a Climate Change Task Force roundtable at 11:45 a.m. in D.C. Tips? Scoops? Are you a Playbook reader in Ireland? Let us know if you're going to see the gov: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “AG Campbell calls on Target to restore Pride Month displays in wake of anti-LGBTQ backlash at stores,” by Ivy Scott, Boston Globe: “Amid Pride Month celebrations, Attorney General Andrea Campbell on Tuesday urged Target to return LGBTQ-related merchandise to its shelves after the retailer pulled items last month following intense backlash from some customers who confronted workers and tipped over displays.” — “Top Senate Democrat backs updates to hospital closure rules as Leominster maternity unit plans to shutter,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “The top Senate Democrat on health care financing expressed support Tuesday for changing the rules around state-licensed hospital closures and offered to reach out to the head of UMass Memorial Health Care to discuss the closure of a birthing center in Leominster.” — “Community health centers push for state support amid workforce shortages,” by Zeina Mohammed, Boston Globe: “Community health centers, which serve over a million primarily low-income Massachusetts residents, ‘urgently need’ investments from the state to meet growing patient demand, leaders said Tuesday.” — “Mass. sports bets slump to $450M in May,” by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: “Massachusetts’ sports wagering industry continues to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars, which bodes well for the state’s tax coffers, but the money train is slowing down amid a shortage of major sporting events.” — “Five state spending proposals that could improve racial disparities in Mass.” by Mark Herz, GBH News. — “Western Mass. Governor’s Council representative supports seven pardons put forward by Healey,” by Josh Landes, WAMC.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Adult woman posed as student, fraudulently enrolled in BPS high schools, district says,” by Christopher Huffaker, Boston Globe: “Boston police are investigating after an adult woman used fake identification and paperwork to enroll in multiple Boston high schools this academic year, Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a letter to families at those schools Tuesday.” — “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu defends use of lights and sirens in police escort crash,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Two weeks after her police escort crossed on a red light and collided with another vehicle, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said it was 'standard practice' for emergency lights and sirens to be activated when transporting dignitaries through traffic.” — “The median home price in Greater Boston just hit $900,000 — an all time high,” by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Rep. Ayanna Pressley is endorsing Katjana Ballantyne for a second term as Somerville mayor, praising her work “to expand access to safe, affordable housing, improve accessible transit options” and more in a statement. — “O’Brien suspends his campaign in District 3 race,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter.
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “Did the T look up enough before debris rained down on passengers at Harvard Station?” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “A ceiling panel had become so sodden that it fell suddenly, nearly hitting a passenger on the Harvard Station platform in March. Two months later, a strap holding a utility box in place had become so rusted that it gave way, dropping and injuring a commuter standing below. In the months leading up to the incidents, MBTA records show internal service requests were made for ceiling leaks as well as for rusted straps holding a utility box to a column, according to records obtained by the Globe."
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — “Dems in Congress seek abortion votes ahead of Dobbs anniversary,” by Eugene Scott, Axios: “Helping to lead the charge for House Democrats is [House Democratic Whip Katherine] Clark, 59, who in recent weeks has been traveling the country, speaking at fundraisers for abortion rights groups, and telling her own story in support of protections for women.” Clark was also in Boston yesterday for a union roundtable with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch, Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on the importance of affordable child care in job creation. “To use a familiar phrase from our Dunkin' Donuts: The economy runs on child care,” Clark said as the group highlighted child care investments in the federal CHIPS and Science Act. The conversation eventually turned to — what else — competitiveness. “If you want to have the most talented and productive workforce that you can, then you need to tap into the full talent pool. And that includes women, that includes young families, families with children,” Raimondo said. “If you don't tap into that talent, you won't be competitive.”
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Affidavit reveals new allegations in the death of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery,” by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “Harmony was allegedly beaten to death by her father, who then hid her body in bags and a cooler, which he moved multiple times as he and his family bounced among living situations.” — “Salem [N.H.] man with alleged ties to white supremacist group arrested in connection with Jan. 6 riot,” by Todd Bookman, NHPR.
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Grid operator dials back electricity concerns,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “After years of cautionary warnings about the risk of winter-time electricity shortages and possible brownouts, the operator of the New England power grid is putting that message on hold for several years. A new analysis by ISO New England indicates supply and demand for electricity should roughly balance out in the region through 2027.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Outgoing CDC director says resignation spurred by sense of accomplishment and exhaustion,” by Mike Stobbe, The Associated Press: “The outgoing head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday her reasons for stepping down were complicated, driven in part by a desire to take a break from the frenetic pace of the job during a pandemic. Dr. Rochelle Walensky surprised many in public health circles last month by announcing her departure after two years and five months — one of the shortest tenures for a CDC director in recent decades.” — “'In L.A. it'd be shut down already.' Writer's strike reaches Cape to picket Netflix series,” by Graham Krewinghaus, Cape Cod Times.
| | MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND | | — SINGING HIS PRAISES: Singer, songwriter, pianist and Rhode Island resident Vanessa Carlton of "A Thousand Miles" fame has endorsed Aaron Regunberg in the special election for RI-01 and will headline an end-of-quarter virtual fundraiser for him, the Providence Journal reports.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | WEDDING BELLS — Harry Liberman, an attorney at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, on June 10 married Keizra Mecklai, an OB/GYN resident at NYU Langone Hospital. They got married at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Pic SPOTTED — at the UMass Club for the launch of the novel “Just East of Nowhere” by Boston Globe columnist Scot Lehigh: Hosts including Michael Goldman, Natasha Perez, GBH’s Jim Braude, Phil Johnston, Tripp Jones, Larry Moulter, NBC10 alum Alison King, the Globe’s Yvonne Abraham and Globe alum Frank Phillips; Walter Robinson, Joshua Miller, James Pindell and others currently and formerly of the Globe; WBUR’s Steve Brown, former Auditor Suzanne Bump, state Reps. Rob Consalvo and Marjorie Decker; UMass President Marty Meehan, Globe alum and POLITICO’s Peter Canellos, Dominic Slowey and Jim Segel. TRANSITIONS — Gisele C. Shorter takes over as president and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation on July 11. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Rep. James Dwyer and Mason Reynolds. 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. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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