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Why you (probably) shouldn't panic if you still don't have a REAL ID
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It's Friday! The Celtics will play the New York Knicks in the next round of the playoffs. It's the 17th postseason meeting between the two longtime NBA rivals — but first in over a decade. Game 1 is Monday at TD Garden.
Now, to the news:
REAL talk: After years of postponements, the May 7 REAL ID enforcement date is now just five days away. Does that mean it's officially time to panic if you (like me) still haven’t upgraded? Colleen Ogilvie, the head of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, says the answer is probably no. Ogilvie told WBUR's Rachell Sanchez-Smith that, generally, "the only people who really need a REAL ID credential right away" are adults who both (a) don’t have an active passport or any other form of TSA-accepted identification and (b) have a domestic flight planned in the near future. In other words, if there are no flights on your May calendar, you can probably chill out. "Don't panic and rush into the registry," Ogilvie said. " May 7 is really the beginning of the enforcement by TSA. It's not a date by which we stop issuing [REAL IDs]."
- What if I have a flight coming up and I don’t have a REAL ID, and my passport is expired? Well, the RMV is offering walk-in appointments for people like you. Just be aware that it will still take 10-14 days to get the new ID in the mail — and remember to bring all the required documents. Ogilvie says they've been fielding 1,500 walk-ins a day, "which is certainly a lot of people." (TSA officials recently told NPR that about 19% of current travelers don’t have a REAL ID or passport.)
- What if I don’t have time before my next flight? There’s actually a good chance you can still get through airport security without a REAL ID or accepted alternative after May 7 — for now. In January, the federal government quietly implemented a rule allowing the TSA to continue accepting non-compliant IDs up until May 5, 2027, as part of a phased-in enforcement plan. According to the TSA, you'll likely face delays and additional screening, and do risk the possibility of being turned away. But as Ogilvie put it, "it appears TSA is trying to work with customers to try to help them be successful on their travels."
- Advice for all travelers: Get to the airport a good two hours early if you're flying in the few weeks after May 7. Ogilvie says it's a good idea to give yourself extra time — REAL ID or not — in case the implementation of the new rules causes delays.
- One last tip: Check to see if you already unknowingly have a license that's REAL-compliant. (You'll see a star in a gold circle in the top right corner.) " We are seeing customers come in thinking that they need to get a REAL ID — and happily they actually already have one," Ogilvie told Rachell.
New owners, new names: Two former Steward Health Care hospitals that were taken over by Boston Medical Center last summer have been officially renamed. Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton is now known as "Boston Medical Center Brighton" and Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton is now called "Boston Medical Center South." However, BMC officials say it'll take a few months to update the two hospitals' names and logos across all physical and digital platforms.
- In the meantime, not much else is changing for patients. BMC says the name change won't affect scheduled appointments or billing. More FAQs here.
Panda Fest, one of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals in the country, kicks off this afternoon at Boston City Hall (rain or shine). The three-day event will feature more than 200 varieties of Asian street food, from Chinese soup dumplings to Japanese takoyaki. Tickets for entry start at $11.
- Today also marks the start of Boston's second annual Asian Restaurant Week. WBUR's Amy Sokolow reports that more than 100 participating Boston-area Asian restaurants will offer special menus or items from May 2-11. (Check out the map of participating restaurants here.) Restaurant Week organizer Stephanie Chen told Amy that it's a great opportunity for people to step out of their comfort zones and try new flavors. "If you've never tried pho noodle soup from Vietnam, or if you've never tried a larb cocktail, this would be a really great way to kind of explore the traditions of these countries," Chen said.
Red line riders, hope you're enjoying your two-day break from service disruptions. Shuttle buses will be back this weekend, replacing trains between JFK/UMass and Braintree so that MBTA crews work on signal upgrades. The commuter rail will also be free between South Station and Braintree during the diversion.
P.S.— Has the "millionaire's tax" pushed wealthier residents to leave Massachusetts? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week's stories.
