Worcester, Massachusetts

At a food rights panel at UMass Amherst, U.S. Rep. James McGovern, state Sen. Jo Comerford, and state Rep. Mindy Domb argued that food access should be enshrined as a constitutional right in Massachusetts, framing hunger as a solvable political problem rather than a resource shortage. Rising costs for food, housing, and health care have left roughly half of Americans unable to afford a basic standard of living, according to the Urban Institute, with one report finding 60% of Massachusetts college students now food insecure, up sharply from the prior year. Lawmakers also pointed to federal SNAP cuts as worsening local hunger, and said the state is exploring funding to help colleges address student food insecurity.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said Thursday he would "absolutely sign" a statewide moratorium on new data center development if it reached his desk, though he stressed local jurisdictions should retain say over such decisions. Thirteen of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions, including Baltimore and Montgomery and Prince George's counties, have already imposed temporary bans amid resident concerns over housing and utility costs.

Moore's comments add to a growing wave of pushback against data center expansion tied to the AI boom. New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland also backed a moratorium, citing environmental concerns and calling for centers to build their own renewable power. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed regulators to penalize data centers violating water-use rules. At the federal level, Sen. Martin Heinrich blocked a GOP bill on data center electricity costs, calling it insufficient. President Trump has urged data centers to cover their own power and water costs but criticized New York's moratorium, warning it risks losing AI investment to China.

The Worcester City Council voted 8-3 to file City Manager Eric Batista's recommendation against creating a civilian review board for the police department, effectively rejecting the proposal. The vote follows a 2024 Department of Justice report that found some Worcester officers used excessive force and engaged in misconduct against sex workers and people of color, which intensified years-long calls for independent oversight. A local think tank and the city's Human Rights Commission had both recommended establishing a board, but Batista's administration argued existing measures, including body cameras and internal investigations by the Executive Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, provide adequate oversight and that a new board would be costly.

Councilors were divided: most praised the administration's presentation and existing accountability measures, while Councilor Khrystian King and others argued oversight remains insufficient. More than an hour of public comment favored a review board, with advocates citing an incident involving an officer not arrested despite suspected drunk driving. Two Human Rights Commission members resigned in protest over the decision.

Springfield officials have released a draft of what is believed to be the city's first master housing plan, developed over several months with national consultant CZB and a 23-person steering committee. The 20-year plan, shaped by data analysis and street-by-street surveys of housing conditions, aims to shore up aging housing stock that has lagged in value compared with surrounding communities, limiting the city's tax revenue for services.

A key early step would be a City Council ordinance creating a rental registry requiring landlords to register and undergo inspections, with unregistered owners losing eviction rights. Officials say most rental problems currently surface only through tenant complaints, which are rare due to fear of retaliation. The plan also calls for targeting resources first toward "stable" neighborhoods, such as parts of East Forest Park and Liberty Heights, offering homeowners subsidized repairs to prevent decline, while distressed areas would see stricter code enforcement and demolition of vacant, deteriorated buildings. The plan is expected to be finalized by late September before going to the mayor and council.

Fitchburg Fire Chief Dante Suarez has filed a civil lawsuit against Mayor Sam Squailia and the city in Worcester Superior Court, alleging retaliation and racial discrimination. Suarez claims he was placed on administrative leave in March after opposing Squailia's elimination of the CodeRED emergency alert system, which he says left the city's roughly 42,000 residents without adequate notification during incidents such as an October 2025 shooting that locked down three schools. CodeRED was eventually reinstated but moved out of fire department oversight.

The complaint also accuses Squailia of blocking merit-based promotions for non-white officers, rejecting a Hispanic candidate recommended for police chief in favor of a white appointee, and subjecting a Hispanic former chief of staff to demeaning tasks not required of a white successor. Squailia has called the allegations "completely false" but declined further comment, citing an ongoing personnel investigation. Suarez is seeking a jury trial and damages for economic, emotional, and reputational harm.