Articles by Bob Salsberg

Task force: Massachusetts Is in Midst of Opioid Abuse Epidemic

Massachusetts is in the midst of an epidemic of deadly opioid abuse, according to a task force created by Gov. Charlie Baker that said Monday that drug addiction must be considered a medical disease. The 18-member group released a total …

Mass. Gov. Baker Calls for New State Regs on Ride-Hailing Companies

Drivers for ride-hailing services such as Uber or Lyft would be required to undergo state criminal background checks, and the companies would be required to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance for each ride, under legislation filed on …

Enhanced Security to Remain in Place for Boston Marathon

Tight security will be in place again for the Boston Marathon — the second since the deadly 2013 bombing at the finish line. About 30,000 runners are expected to participate in next Monday’s race, with about 1 million spectators lining …

Massachusetts Governor Asks for Snow Disaster Declaration

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker formally asked the federal government on Friday, March 27, to declare a disaster in 10 Massachusetts counties after a relentless series of winter storms brought record snowfall and frigid temperatures, causing 25 deaths and costing the …

New England Digs Out From Latest Winter Storm, Braces for More Snow

Snow-choked New England braced for more winter grief later in the week as people dug out from another 2 feet of snow Tuesday amid below-freezing temperatures and stranded Boston commuters scrambled to find other ways to get to work. Officials …

Massachusetts Coastal Communities Hit Hard by Blizzard

Some of the areas hardest hit by the blizzard that tore through Massachusetts were on the coastline, where oceanfront homes took the brunt of raging seas. In Marshfield, Massachusetts, officials were still assessing the damage but said at least four …

New Englanders Facing Snowy ‘Big Dig’ After Blizzard

New Englanders savaged by a blizzard packing knee-high snowfall and hurricane-force winds began digging out Wednesday, grudgingly praising forecasters who got grief from New Yorkers and others spared its full fury. The storm buried the Boston area in more than …

Massachusetts Reports Progress in Repairing Health Insurance Website

Massachusetts state officials are offering an upbeat assessment of efforts to repair the state’s hobbled health insurance website. Maydad Cohen, special assistant to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, told the state’s health connector board on Thursday that new software purchased by …

Mass. to Dump Website Contractor Over Troubled Online Health Exchange

Massachusetts plans on cutting ties with the contractor for its hobbled health care insurance website. The recommendation was made Monday by Sarah Iselin, who was hired by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to oversee a fix for the website problems that …

Mass. House OKs Bill to Soften Impact of Flood Insurance Rules

The Massachusetts House on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill designed to soften the impact of new federal flood insurance rules on many of the state’s coastal homeowners. The measure, sponsored by Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo, would tie the level …