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Boston's Morning Newsletter
A weeklong Red Line diversion begins Monday. Here's how to get around it
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
And just like that, there are only two more weeks left in August. If you’re dealing with end-of-summer FOMO, check out this playlist from the Cognoscenti team to help you savor these sweet last moments of the season.
Now, to the news:
If you take the Red Line to reach downtown Boston, you’re the unlucky recipient of the T’s latest diversion. Starting today, shuttle buses will replace train service between the Kendall/MIT and JFK/UMass stops. The closure is expected to last through Sunday, Aug. 25. Here are a few alternative routes available during the disruption:
- By bus: Shuttle buses will stop at all affected stations, except for Downtown Crossing and Park Street. If you usually get the Red Line from either of those stations, you’ll need to wait at the Federal St @ Franklin St bus stop to catch a northbound shuttle, or the Otis St @ Summer St stop for a southbound shuttle. Both are less than a half mile walk from Downtown Crossing.
- By rail: The commuter rail will be free betweenBraintree and South Station and between Porter and North Station during the closure.
- What is it this time? The MBTA is suspending service in order to perform station upgrades, like lighting repairs, deep cleaning and painting, as well as track work to hopefully address 26 speed restrictions across the line.
A historic Democratic National Convention begins tonight in Chicago, Illinois, less than a month after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race. This week’s convention — which runs through Thursday — mostly stands to show the Democratic party as unified behind Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as well as to certify their nominations to make everything official.
- Party people: WCVB reports the Massachusetts Democratic Party will send a total of 144 delegates, alternates and DNC members to Chicago. Among this group are Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Congressman Seth Moulton, Sen. Ed Markey, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
- DNC delegates note renewed excitement within the party. Darnell Williams, a longtime delegate who has participated in the convention since 1980, told WBUR’s Josie Guarino he sees Harris gaining support particularly from young, Black and Hispanic voters. Pressley told WCVB that with a Harris-Walz ticket, “a new electoral map is emerging, a new coalition of voters is being built.”
- Harris may also be in a better position to win the support of those who want to see ceasefire in Gaza. (Thousands of activists are expected to bring their calls to the DNC.) “Vice President Harris’s voice, her listening. Her understanding of the issues,” Williams said. “I think that there’s going to be a different way for us to approach the table regarding the tensions in the Middle East.”
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Looking for answers: The fate of the Steward hospitals may be decided as soon as this week. On Friday, Healey announced there are deals in principle to transfer five hospitals previously owned by the bankrupt health care chain. This includes the state seizing St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center via eminent domain, in an effort to keep the hospital open before transferring ownership to Boston Medical Center. Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center are still set to close at the end of August.
- Adding up the cost: State officials are putting together a package to help the new operators make the hospitals profitable again — to the tune of at least $80 million per year, for three years. They've also offered $4.5 million to take over the St. Elizabeth's property. The state also committed $30 million in advance Medicaid payments to keep some Steward facilities operating through the end of the month.
- What’s next: There are still some legal proceedings that need to happen before any new ownership can be confirmed. More details are expected soon — maybe even as early as tomorrow — when all the involved parties go before a judge.
Five people were injured during a shooting at yesterday’s Dominican Cultural Festival in Franklin Park. Gunshots were heard at 8:43 p.m. Five people were wounded and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox told the Boston Globe the violent incident “marred a pretty successful event.”
P.S.— WBUR will broadcast two hours of DNC special coverage tonight from 9 to 11 p.m. Get the latest from Chicago by listening live on air at 90.9, online, or on our app.
Correction: In an earlier version of this post, we incorrectly stated what the $80 million package in the state's plan to save five Massachusetts hospitals would be used for. The funds are meant to help the new hospital operators during their first three years.
