BOSTON — With just over three months to go in Massachusetts’ current fiscal year, there are new warnings from the Patrick administration regarding a potential budget shortfall of up to $295 million.

BOSTON — Federal disaster officials are touring parts of Massachusetts Wednesday to assess damage from last weekend’s torrential rains and winds as part of the state’s effort to make its case for federal disaster assistance.

THE STATE HOUSE — Every once in a while in government, just when the eyes start to glaze over and loll backwards at yammering about the consumer price index and biannual open enrollment periods for health insurance, a policy door opens. Enter Deval Patrick.

THE STATE HOUSE — It was 69 years ago Friday that Massachusetts made March 17 — St. Patrick’s Day — a legal holiday in Suffolk County. And though the law is said to formally recognize the day the British evacuated Boston in 1776, the conspicuous coincidence of the calendar certainly did not go unnoticed: The governor signed the bill in green ink.

THE STATE HOUSE — Electoral intrigue is, just like money in politics, like water on pavement. And just when the voyeuristic horde — junkies, operatives, reporters, aspirants — thought that Massachusetts’ elected class was going to let them down, Congressman Bill Delahunt rose to the occasion. A recap and analysis of the week in state government.

BOSTON — A day after putting it into effect, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles announced Tuesday it is rescinding a $5 “counter fee” on transactions conducted with a representative over the phone or in person at the state’s branches.

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick was in Washington Monday, where he met with President Obama and his state’s two senators. On Tuesday, the governor echoed the president’s frustration with health insurers and spoke of Sen. Scott Brown’s independence after the Republican sided with Democrats on a proposed jobs bill.

THE STATE HOUSE — The paralyzing winter monsoon expected to cast the commonwealth into rimy midweek despair never quite materialized, and veteran political analysts couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps the new junior senator had just worked the first of what they only assumed would be several miracles.

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick, positioning himself as the guardian of job-creating small businesses, said Wednesday he is ordering health insurers in Massachusetts to submit proposed small business rate increases for state review – and possible rejection.

BOSTON — The state has requested a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury Department to borrow up to $250 million to cover the cost of unemployment benefits this month.

THE STATE HOUSE — This week in state government and public affairs: A hotel full of Democrats, who had busted their humps to elect a Democratic governor three years ago decided Wednesday to picket said governor the next afternoon, politically wounding him and, in all likelihood, their own most fervently held causes. And a little-known state lawmaker becomes a Republican U.S. senator from Massachusetts.

BOSTON — State lawmakers, human service providers and other stakeholders that rely on state aid are all poring over the budget unveiled Wednesday by Gov. Deval Patrick. It has $800 million worth of budget cuts and relies on $600 million in yet to be approved federal aid in order to keep the state budget balanced.

BOSTON — After unveiling his $28.2 billion budget proposal for 2011, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will take your questions in a live chat Wednesday at noon.

BOSTON — With a little more than five months to go before the start of the new fiscal year, Gov. Deval Patrick is unveiling his $28.2 billion budget proposal for 2011 on Wednesday morning.

BOSTON — Burdened by state fiscal woes and rising unemployment, and facing emboldened political opponents in an election year, Gov. Deval Patrick nevertheless struck a positive tone in his State of the Commonwealth address on Thursday, said Jeff Berry, a political science professor at Tufts University.