Progress slow in sale of Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center
Representatives of the receivership, which was appointed to oversee the facility in spring 2024 after allegations of mismanagement threatened a closure, gathered in Suffolk County Superior Court Sept. 16, alongside lawyers for the attorney general’s office and the state’s Department of Public Health.

Zoo New England looks to grow Roxbury, Dorchester tree canopy through new partnership
One Friday morning, warm with the last vestiges of summer, Josh Meyer stood in his pale blue polo shirt emblazoned with the Zoo New England logo, excited to let the patrons of the Roxbury Crossing farmers market in on something special: “We’re giving away free plants.

Boston announces new rates in Community Choice Electricity program
“If you look at the news, there’s all sorts of factors that make you think that it’s unclear what’s going to happen, but not a lot of great news from geopolitics to renewable energy sort of being forestalled,” Sellers-Garcia said. “A lot of us living here in Boston are just spending way too much money on energy.

Roxbury arts center hires new director
“I dedicated my life to the NCAAA and the work of Black artists because I believe deeply in the power of art to affirm the dignity, creativity and contributions of Black people everywhere,” Gaither, 80, said.

Marion Orr revives the legacy of Charles C. Diggs Jr. in ‘House of Diggs’
In 1954 he won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the state’s first Black congressman. The biography follows this unlikely rise in detail, from Diggs’ early campaigns to his arrival in Washington, where he began carving out a role as a civil rights advocate.

Speech suppression is a dangerous slide toward racial oppression
Freedom of speech, one of the sacred rights guaranteed by our Constitution, must be zealously guarded. When governments start chipping away at the freedom to speak, other liberties are sure to follow.

“Remember folks, free speech is only free when I’m speaking.”
“Remember folks, free speech is only free when I’m speaking.”.

Black Boston at the ballot box
The history of Black elected officials in Boston is both inspiring and sobering: trailblazers breaking into hostile arenas, victories that seemed monumental but often proved isolated, and a community forced to demand visibility in a city that prides itself on progressivism while sidelining its Black population.

America needs more bridge builders, not more Charlie Kirks
At the same time, we must be honest about the role Charlie Kirk played in shaping our current climate of division and distrust. Kirk was not merely a provocateur; he was a powerful amplifier of conspiracy theories, misinformation and extremist rhetoric.

Karen Holmes Ward
Karen Holmes Ward is this year’s recipient of the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC) Public Service Champion Award. Ward is the host and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated, AP award-winning weekly magazine program CityLine at WCVB.

With Ballantyne out, Burnley, Wilson shift focus to Somerville’s mayoral final
After finishing first and second, respectively, in Somerville’s preliminary mayoral election on Sept. 16, At-large City Councilors Jake Wilson and Willie Burnley Jr.

From Boston to New York: Local activists take on climate crisis
On Sept. 20 at 7 a.m., while most Bostonians were still asleep in their beds enjoying the last day of the weekend, a gaggle of locals stood on the corner of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue.

ROLLING THE DICE ON INTERACTIVE LEARNING: A CAPSTONE MODEL FOR SUCCESS IN PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION
With summer’s end comes a new academic school year cycle, and with it, a wrap on the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (SCSD) Summer Enrichment Program (SEP). Having finished its eleventh run, the eighteen students of the 2025 SEP cohort have taken to re-imagining the hallmark capstone project.

Boston Local Food Festival
On Sunday Sept. 14, with a crowd of more than 40,000 New Englanders, the Boston Local Food Festival brought in over 100 vendors serving up cuisines from all over the world..

Caribbean Rum and Food Festival
Bostonians gathered at Roxbury Community College on Sept. 13 to experience a Caribbean fusion of rum, rhythm and food, presented by the Authentic Caribbean Foundation..

Pushing small businesses into survival mode
The economic downturn is hitting the middle class and entrepreneurs hard. Seventy-three percent of U.S. workers are struggling financially, unable to afford anything beyond basic living expenses, according to the 2025 Wage Reality Report.

When vets and pets connect: Rhode Island entrepreneur finds her calling
As she watched a television news story about a man who transported dogs back and forth from penthouses in Upper Manhattan to dog grooming and daycare appointments, Barbosa, a longtime pet owner, wondered whether there was a service like this in her home state of Rhode Island.

Patriots lose to Steelers at Foxboro
Game 3 of the Mike Vrabel coaching era with the New England Patriots resulted in a 21-14 setback to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. The story of this game came down to five turnovers by the home team, including twice in the Steelers’ end zone on back-to-back drives.

College football report
The defending national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes, holds the number one spot in the national rankings.

Autumn has arrived — Check out colorful fall foliage in Boston and beyond
Walking into the Beacon Hill neighborhood, you see colonial Boston with striking brick row houses, elaborate doors and narrow streets. In the fall, the leaves add to the picture-perfect outdoor display in the city. boston.gov/neighborhood/beacon-hill.

Mai, a new French-Japanese izakaya, opens in Seaport
The French-Japanese izakaya Mai is the newest addition to Boston’s Seaport district and it blends right in to the flashy, new-build neighborhood. Inside, diners will spot purple neon lights, Instagram-ready cocktails and Labubus serving as décor. But the focus here is just as much on the food as it is on creating social media moments.

Ten years in, ‘Hamilton’ still resonates
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Broadway production of “Hamilton” and audiences are once again scrambling to be in the room where it happens. Bostonians can get their Founding Fathers fix during the Broadway tour that hits the Hub this month.

Roll over Beethoven — The Illharmonic’s in town!
The musical phenomenon is the creation of Thee Phantom, a.k.a. Jeffrey M. McNeill; and Phoenix, a.k.a. Andrea Coln. The husband and wife’s love of music — all music — led to establishing The Illharmonic Orchestra.

¡Celebremos Puerto Rico!
Puerto Rican artist and director Pedro Adorno Irizarry will lead the day’s festivities alongside his arts collective Agua, Sol y Sereno. Attendees will learn from Harvard scientists about the natural wonders of Puerto Rico, like the bioluminescent bays, colorful birds and coquí frog that can be found in this tropical landscape.