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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Advice for Boston drivers, cyclists and parents as we reset to standard time
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.
It's Monday. Pack an umbrella or rain jacket today so you don't get surprised by the potential rain during your afternoon commute. Speaking of which...
Back to the standard: Daylight saving time has ended, which means the sun will set at little after 4:30 p.m. today in Boston. The good news? Parents might find their children are more alert and ready for school this morning thanks to an extra hour of sleep, Dr. Kevin Gipson, a pediatric sleep physician at Mass General Brigham, told WBUR's John Bender. The not-so-good news? Car crashes tend to tick up this time of year, particularly in the evening, according to Massachusetts State Police. As we all adjust to standard time, here's what to know:
- For drivers: State Police Lt. Sean Reardon told WBUR's Amy Sokolow the data show late afternoon and early evening are the worst times for accidents. Drivers should take caution and stay on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists as they navigate the dark, said Reardon. "Just reminding yourself that at this time of day, there's still going to be people out doing this stuff," he said.
- For cyclists and pedestrians: Reardon suggests using lights or reflective gear to make yourself more visible when traveling after dark.
- For parents: The time shift can be as disruptive for kids as it is for adults. But on the bright side, the autumn shift to standard time does better align with many people's sleep schedules, said Gipson. This period is a good time for everyone (especially sleep-deprived teens) to get on a better sleep schedule.
- More resources: Need some tips to help stave off the winter blues? Here are four ways to enrich your life during these dark nights from our Weekender newsletter.
SNAP decision: The Trump administration is facing a deadline today to say how it will comply with court orders to continue to fund SNAP during the government shutdown. Judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled Friday that the administration must continue sending out benefits for the federal food aid program. More than a million Massachusetts residents rely on SNAP, WBUR's Martha Bebinger reports. But where the money will come from — and how soon it will be paid out — remains unclear.
- Where they'll find the funding: There's a $5 billion contingency fund set aside for SNAP. (As one judge noted, Trump used the funds to keep SNAP afloat during the government shutdown during his first term in 2019.) The program costs around $8 billion per month, which means the contingency funds won't cover November payments in full. There is another $23 billion in reserves that Democratic officials argue the administration could theoretically use to keep SNAP running, too.
- In the meantime: With SNAP benefits in limbo, NPR reports that a wave of people across the country are participating in informal grocery buddy systems.
A local loss: Massachusetts politicians and residents are mourning the loss of former Newton Mayor Setti Warren, who died yesterday unexpectedly at the age of 55. Warren was the first Black person to be popularly elected to serve as mayor in Massachusetts, a role he held from 2010 to 2018. Following his tenure in Newton, Warren went on to be a lecturer and director of the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics.
- In a statement, the Kennedy School wrote that Warren "was an extraordinary person and leader, a pillar of our community, and he will be dearly missed." He leaves behind two children and his wife, Tassy, who also works at Harvard.
Meanwhile at Harvard: Police are asking for help identifying two suspects caught on camera fleeing the scene of an apparently intentional explosion early Saturday morning at Harvard Medical School. No one was injured in the explosion, which occurred just before 3 a.m. in a fourth-floor hallway in the Goldenson Building on Longwood Avenue, according to Harvard University police. No other explosive devices were found after a sweep of the building.
P.S. — CitySpace is hosting a screening tonight of short film "All the Empty Rooms," which follows veteran CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman's seven-year-long effort to document the toll of school shootings and gun violence in America. After the screening, All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins will moderate a discussion with Hartman, director Joshua Seftel and others involved in the project. Get tickets here.
