Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn said he does not plan to run for mayor in 2025, dismissing speculation that his higher political visibility of late is indicative of his plans to seek higher office. Flynn’s remarks came after a Friday luncheon he attended in the North End, where he broke bread with three restaurant owners suing the city and Mayor Michelle Wu over what they perceive as a discriminatory and unfair outdoor dining ban. When asked by a reporter whether his visit was indicative of his plan to run for mayor, Flynn said “no” and that he’s been coming to that neighborhood his entire life ..read more

The operators of a migrant shelter in Boston’s Seaport District are seeking an “extension through June,” prompting others to worry if the same scenario will unfold in their neighborhood. The shelter at 24 Farnsworth Street, which houses 20-25 migrant and homeless families, could stay open into the summer as children stay in school and plans are made for next steps, according to a neighborhood announcement shared with the Herald Friday night. “In an effort to minimize disruptions for families, the UUA and United Way intend to request an extension through June,” the statement reads. The Unitaria ..read more

In perhaps a show of political support, Councilor Ed Flynn met with North End restaurant owners suing the City of Boston over its decision to ban outdoor dining in the traditionally-Italian neighborhood, amid silence from many other officials. Flynn does not represent the neighborhood, but came to the North End Friday afternoon to break bread with three restaurateurs Carla Gomes, Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde and Bill Galatis at Terramia Ristorante, and offer to broker an outdoor dining compromise between them and the Wu administration. “My family has a long-time connection to this community, and I ..read more

Students suspended for refusing to clear the MIT encampment have until next week to find housing off campus and say they’re unsure how they’ll continue to pressure the school to cut its financial ties with Israel. Dozens of protesters marched through the streets of Cambridge shortly after organizers kept their lips tight on next steps during a Friday afternoon news conference on campus, hours after police broke down the encampment and arrested 10. “The encampment is gone, but the encampment was just one action,” said Dan Zeno, a graduate student who helped organize the tent site on Kresge ..read more

If you’ve missed Boston meteorologist power couple Matt and Danielle Noyes on your TV screen, you can now see them delivering weather forecasts on a new free platform. The local meteorologists have officially launched their app called the “Noyes’ 1DegreeOutside Weather Network” app. The Apple iOS app is now out, and their Android app will be coming soon. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of folks that they’re so happy and thrilled with our new venture, but they miss seeing us give them the weather forecast,” Matt told the Herald on Friday. “Well, you don’t have to miss us anymore,” he added. “You ..read more

The housing crisis in Massachusetts doubly hits health care, workers from around the state told Gov. Maura Healey, putting up barriers to patients’ care and making it more difficult for hospital employees to live and work here. “(Boston Medical Center) is very focused on both what we term downstream and upstream solutions to address the root causes of poor health outcomes in our community,” said BMC CEO and President Alastair Bell. “And housing instability is near the top. We’re working hard, but as a state, we need to act at a scale that’s proportionate to the need.” Healey hosted a roundtabl ..read more

Could we get a chance to see the Northern Lights this weekend? Meteorologists say it’s possible for enough clearing in the skies for Bay Staters to see some “low horizon glow” from the aurora during this “unusual and potentially historic event.” “The big question when it comes to the Northern Lights is how clear the skies are going to be,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Leatham. “As far as southern New England, parts of western and central Massachusetts could have enough clearing to potentially see the Northern Lights late at night,” he added from the NWS Boston office. A sev ..read more

You won’t have Geoff “DoorDash” Diehl to kick around anymore. That’s right, Massachusetts politics’ perennial loser, the caporegime of the state Republican party’s bust-out Kool Aid Kult, will not be desperately seeking office again in 2024. You know what I’m going to miss most about DoorDash’s reluctant decision not to get stomped this year? His concession speech. You see, DoorDash has unparalleled experience in delivering concession speeches, because nobody loses more political races than Diehl. Every time out of the box, he gets trounced more resoundingly than he did the previous time. From ..read more

Police have cracked down on another Massachusetts college where students have been urging officials to fully divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war. Signs cover barriers that have been installed around MIT's encampment space on Kresge Oval. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald) Signs cover barriers that have been installed around MIT's encampment space on Kresge Oval. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald) Protestors march toward MIT's encampment space after 3 arrests were made outside of Stata Center in Cambridge. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald) Police made 3 student arrests outside Stata ..read more

A bank error that delayed paychecks for employees at Steward Health Care-owned hospitals after the company declared bankruptcy has been resolved, state officials said on Thursday. “There was a glitch when it came to the banking,” said Gov. Maura Healey at an event Thursday. “That matter has been resolved by the bank. Employees, workers at Steward are getting paid, will continue to get paid. And our focus as an administration remains on protecting patients, protecting these workers, and protecting the stability of the health care market here in Massachusetts.” Steward Health Care, which ow ..read more