Bruce Tarr

In Mass., lawmakers torn between casinos' lure and state's Puritan roots, public health credos. Massachusetts lawmakers enthralled with the lure of easy casino cash are having a tough time squaring the 24-hour world of smoke-filled, free-booze gambling haunts with the state's Puritan roots and high-minded liberal reputation.

Senate President Therese Murray said yesterday that she would oppose an attempt by Senate Republicans to pass a controversial measure this week that would bar illegal immigrants from receiving state and federal benefits in Massachusetts. Murray, a Plymouth Democrat, said Republicans are targeting a problem that does not exist, because the state already checks applicants for public benefits using the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, or SAVE. ``I think they know the SAVE program is already done in almost every one of our agencies, so it's kind of a little smoke and mirrors here,'' Murray told reporters during an impromptu interview in a State House hallway. ``We already do this stuff.'' Just steps away from Murray, the Senate's five Republicans held their own press conference to advocate for the measure, which failed narrowly in the House a few weeks ago and is scheduled for debate as part of the Senate's budget this week. Republicans predicted the amendmen

Senate Republicans are preparing to battle this week for controversial budget amendments that would limit illegal immigrants' access to state benefits, just weeks after a similar measure failed narrowly in the House. Republicans say the legislation will save money and reduce waiting lists for high-demand services, such as public housing. Democrats and immigrant advocates counter that the measures attack a problem that does not exist, since illegal immigrants are already ineligible for such services. Debate is expected to start tomorrow, and the senators could vote as early as that day. ``I don't think it's asking for a lot,'' said Senate minority leader Richard R. Tisei, the main sponsor of the amendments, who is running for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker. ``In a time of limited resources, you can only do so much. We have to do first for the people who are here legally.'' On Friday, the Republicans filed a Senate version of an amendment that nearly pa

MARBLEHEAD - Biff Michaud lifted the door to his garage, looked at the license plate on his black Cadillac Escalade, and began to weep. This, Michaud insisted, is not just any old tag. In a state where drivers covet low-number plates, clamoring by the thousands for the few made available every year, Michaud's is among the crème de la crème: He is the proud owner of the lowest possible bus license plate - ``1'' - which was passed down from his late father and which he believes is a rightful part of his family legacy. ``My dad used to say, `This is the single most important thing to me other than my personal health and family,' '' he said, choking up. Now, the cherished plate, known as Bus 1, is at the center of an emotional tug of war among the Legislature, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and Michaud, the chief executive of the Salem Witch Museum, whose large North Shore family founded Michaud Bus Lines in 1914. Registry officials suspended Bus 1 last year, after they learned it was not

For years, Gloucester officials have lobbied the state and federal governments to help subsidize infrastructure repair projects that will cost the city more than $100 million. This week, the city moved $14.6 million closer toward paying all those bills, after state and federal leaders came to Gloucester to announce financial support to help rebuild its water filtration and waste-water treatment systems. The infusion of money entails $2 million from the federal stimulus program, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and $12.6 million in state loans with a 2 percent interest rate. ``This investment is going to create jobs, it's going to help improve the local economy, and it's also going to make our water cleaner. It's another reminder of how the stimulus fund is making a difference in Massachusetts,'' said US Representative John F. Tierney, a Democrat from Salem. The three projects boosted by the grant and loan will create a minimum of 100 construction jobs, said Mike Hal

Gloucester District Court may be consolidated with Salem District Court in a cost-saving move, as state officials search for ways to address as much as $10 million in court-related budget cuts next year. Chief Justices Robert A. Mulligan and Lynda M. Connolly, both of whom work in the system's administrative offices, invited state Senator Bruce E. Tarr and state Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante to a meeting at the State House last month to discuss the possibility that the court, located in the lawmakers' district, could be consolidated. ``They wanted to give us a heads-up that they were reviewing the caseloads of courts and found that Gloucester in particular had a very low number,'' Ferrante said in a telephone interview last week. ``They told us that because of personnel constraints, they want to move it to Salem. Of course, I would prefer to have it remain in Gloucester. It's part of the main street, and it provides justice locally.'' Joan Kenney, spokeswoman for the Supreme Jud

Fishermen heading to Washington, demand changes to fishery law to save jobs, communities. Fishermen from around the country are planning to pack the steps in front of the U.S. Capitol this month to demand changes to a federal fisheries law they say is killing jobs and eroding fishing communities.

State education officials have either destroyed or refused to turn over key documents related to the evaluation of a controversial charter school proposal in Gloucester, in violation of the state public records law, according to a report released yesterday by the state inspector general's office. The report provides further ammunition to critics who have questioned the legitimacy of the review process and could complicate an already politically charged charter school debate scheduled to begin on Beacon Hill today as part of a sweeping education bill. At least two members of the panel that reviewed the charter proposal said they may have shredded their evaluation notes, according to the report from Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan. The department also hampered the investigation by refusing to comply with the office's repeated requests for a 29-page evaluation of the charter proposal, the report said. The findings last night prompted Governor Deval Patrick, who has long had concerns

Inspector General Gregory Sullivan has determined that the state improperly approved a controversial charter school in Gloucester last year and believes the board should void its vote, according to a letter his office sent to the governor yesterday afternoon. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has not nullified approval of any charter school since the independently run public schools were created under the 1993 Education Reform Act. The Gloucester Community Arts Charter School is scheduled to open in the fall. It was not clear yesterday whether the board and its agency's commissioner will comply with Sullivan's findings because they have not seen a copy of the letter yet, according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. ``We don't have any comment,'' said spokeswoman Heidi Guarino. ``We need to review it with our legal counsel.'' However, Colin Zick, an attorney who represents Gloucester Community Arts, said he disputed the i

Inspector General Gregory Sullivan has determined that the state improperly approved a controversial charter school in Gloucester last year and believes the board should void its vote, according to a letter his office sent to the governor yesterday afternoon. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has not nullified approval of any charter school since the independently run public schools were created under the 1993 Education Reform Act. The Gloucester Community Arts Charter School is scheduled to open in the fall. It was not clear yesterday whether the board and its agency's commissioner will comply with Sullivan's findings because they have not seen a copy of the letter yet, according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. ``We don't have any comment,'' said spokeswoman Heidi Guarino. ``We need to review it with our legal counsel.'' However, Colin Zick, an attorney who represents Gloucester Community Arts, said he disputed the i

MALDEN - State Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan made an unusual appearance before the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education yesterday morning to inform members that his office had launched an investigation of the process that led to the approval of a controversial charter school in Gloucester. Sullivan said that he made the decision to appear before the board in person because the topic did not arise Monday night, when the board began its discussion of whether to revoke the charter granted to the school last February. Sullivan notified Secretary of Education Paul Reville about the investigation Friday. Reville said he subsequently contacted the commissioner of elementary and secondary education ,as well as the chairwoman of the agency's board. It is unclear to what extent, if any, other board members knew of the inspector general's decision to formally launch an investigation before his appearance yesterday. ``The purpose of my visit today is to put you on notice,'' Su

GLOUCESTER - Angry parents staged a boisterous protest in front of City Hall, where the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held a special meeting yesterday to discuss its approval of a new charter school during which a top education official apologized for sending an e-mail last February that ignited controversy. Children chanted ``CSO Said No Go,'' a call to the state's Charter School Office not to recommend approval of the new Gloucester Community Arts Charter School, a recommendation that was disregarded by the board that approved it last winter. Parents held signs that read, ``Do The Right Thing Revoke,'' and ``Charter Group Tells Tall Tales,'' in a spirited protest that prompted state Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester to briefly address the crowd of about 30 people, who believe the charter approval process was politically motivated. ``All I can tell you is that for me . . . my calculus was based on one thing, the merits of the application,'' Chester said, s

Fishermen rally in Mass. to call for changes to fishery law, 'dysfunctional' management. Hundreds of fishermen from the Northeast rallied in front of the headquarters of federal fishery managers Friday, demanding changes in the "dysfunctional" management that they say is destroying their industry.

Fishermen rally in Mass. to call for changes to fishery law, 'dysfunctional' management. Hundreds of fishermen from the Northeast rallied in front of the headquarters of federal fishery managers Friday, demanding changes in the "dysfunctional" management that they say is destroying their industry.

Mass. Gov. Patrick says Obama inquired about law to allow temporary Kennedy replacement. Gov. Deval Patrick said Friday that President Barack Obama had personally talked to him about changing the Senate succession law in Massachusetts, and White House aides were pushing for him to gain the power to temporarily replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy amid the administration's health care push.