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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Stop & Shop will stop selling all tobacco products — and wants to buy some back
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The Italian Air Force ended up canceling yesterday’s big flyover here, but at least we can live vicariously through all the videos Rhode Islanders took of their tricolor display above Providence and Newport.
Now, to the news:
A different kind of cold turkey: Stop & Shop is giving up smoking — in the hopes that some customers will follow suit. New England’s largest supermarket chain announced yesterday it will stop selling cigarettes and all other tobacco products at the end of the month (meaning this Saturday will be the last day of sales). Stop & Shop spokesperson Jennifer Barr told WBUR’s Dan Guzman the decision is part of their commitment to “building healthy communities.” “According to the CDC, smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death each year in the U.S.,” Barr said. “So, this is a really important move and we hope these events will help inspire our customers to finally make that choice to quit.”
- Zoom out: The decision will affect all 360 of Stop & Shop’s stores across the Northeast — including 125 in Massachusetts.
- Zoom in: The company also plans to hold a “cigarette buyback” event — yes, modeled after gun buybacks — this Wednesday at its store in Dorchester’s Grove Hall. The first 100 customers will be able to trade in unopened packs of cigarettes for a grocery store gift card (plus snack bags, a Nicorette coupon and educational material on quitting smoking).
Buggin’ out: Massachusetts health officials will begin spraying pesticides in over a dozen towns tonight, as part of an effort to stamp out mosquito-borne illnesses in a cluster of areas. The move comes after an Oxford man came down with the state’s first confirmed human case of EEE since 2020.
- Where? Planes will be spraying the pesticides in eight Plymouth County communities, while truck-based spraying will occur in four towns south of Worcester. Check the state’s Mosquito Spray Map to see if they’ve sprayed your neighborhood.
- When? From dusk tonight until about 4:30 a.m. tomorrow — when mosquitoes are most active. Ashley Randle, the state’s agriculture commissioner, told WBUR’s John Bender it will likely continue for multiple evenings this week. (The exact schedule depends on the weather.)
- Should I be worried about the pesticides? Not really. The state is using a familiar pesticide called Anvil 10+10 that Randle says poses “very minimal” risk to humans and animals, based both on its toxicity and the amount they’re using. “To equate it, it’s about a 1-ounce shot glass over a football field,” Randle said.
- Are there precautions I should still take? The state suggests people in spray zones with respiratory conditions like asthma or chemical sensitivities stay indoors during spraying hours. And while the pesticides are safe for your gardens and pets, people with small ornamental fishponds in their yard may want to cover them until spraying is over. You can read more FAQs here.
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Meanwhile in West Mass: The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum in Northampton has launched a fundraising campaign to overhaul its exhibits (such as Coolidge’s infamous electric horse). The initial phase of the plan is set to cost about $30,000.
- The museum is not part of the presidential library system run by the National Archives. Leaders say that gives them independence to provide a more nuanced view of Coolidge’s record. “While we’re very proud to have him here and call Northampton his hometown, there’s certainly pieces of his record that I think need to be brought to light as well,” library director Lisa Downing told New England Public Media.
Back again: Tim Walz just can’t stay away from Boston. According to The Boston Globe, the Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota governor is scheduled to speak at the International Association of Fire Fighters convention in Seaport. The event comes just two weeks after Walz was in town for a Back Bay fundraiser.
P.S.— Attention all aspiring journalists! There is exactly one month left to apply for WBUR’s 2025 newsroom fellowship. The position offers emerging journalists the chance to embed in several different parts of the newsroom, develop a range of skills — and get paid. Applications are due Sept. 27. (Get an inside peek at the gig here.)
