Massachusetts Statehouse Program | News | November 2005 | Boston University College of Communication

November 2005 Headlines

Bay State plans starring role for tax breaks in pitch to film industry

Massachusetts is hoping to get back in the movies, and it wants to make its residents the stars. (By Annie Sherman, 11/18/05)

Lipkind lobbies State House for defibrillators

For three years, Al Lipkind worked to get defibrillators in the police cars of his hometown of Stoughton. Then he did the same in neighboring Sharon. (By Katie Liesener, 11/11/05)

Federal assistance on the way
for flood-damaged areas across Mass.

Residents may not have to wait much longer for federal assistance to fix flood-damaged areas across the Commonwealth. (By Annie Sherman, 11/11/05)

Experts urge state to fix health emergency plans

Health experts urged lawmakers yesterday to revamp the state's health emergency plans, which they say could prove ineffective if avian flu spreads into a worldwide pandemic. (By Neil Freese, 11/10/05)

Local pols win some lose some

As the clock ticked down on the Legislature's formal sessions this week, local lawmakers came away with some wins and some losses on their year-end priorities. (By Jason Lowell, 11/20/05)

Shaken Baby: New Legislation Promotes Prevention and Education

Concerned over the tragedies of infants hurt by their overwhelmed parents, a coalition of organizations and legislators is pushing new laws to reduce the number of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) cases in the state. (By Laura DeMars, 11/05)

Fluoride bill: a turnoff

Local officials might hold widely differing views on the merits of fluoridation, but most say they oppose legislation that would require Massachusetts cities and towns to add the cavity-fighting compound to public water supplies. (By Tracy Dubinsky, 11/04/05)

Representative's Death Makes Young Aide a Force

Lauren Mauriello, legislative aide for the late State Rep. Michael Coppola, often says an aide does "everything under the sun except vote." Mauriello might be doing even more these days. (By Tracy Dubinsky, 11/05)

Key is story over preachy messages

"I don't like didactic films that preach, so I don't make films with messages. Even though I have some angle in mind going into making a film, with Betty, I was mostly struck with the different elements of her story," said Brighton veteran filmmaker Liane Brandon... (By Crystal D. Vogt, 11/12/05)

Landmark bill:
State takes step closer to universal health care

Universal health insurance, or nearer to it than any state has come, is moving closer toward reality in Massachusetts. (By Laura Dannen, 11/04/05)

Imports of Overseas Pooches Raises Health Concerns

A shortage of adoptable puppies in Massachusetts has created a demand for homeless pooches from outside the state, including places as far away as Puerto Rico and even Angola. (By Crystal D. Vogt, 11/01/05)

Library concert series opens with Faliks at the piano keys

Inna Faliks is passionate about music, and last Saturday, she shared that passion in the first of the Saturday afternoon concerts at the Honan-Allston Branch Library. (By Crystal D. Vogt, 11/12/05)

They promise to get your kid from moving

into the rec room

Almost all of us have been there: college graduation has just passed, and the idea of venturing into the real world for a job is both frightening and intimidating. College has prepared you for analyzing Chaucer and solving algorithmic equations, but has it given you the tools you need to craft a good resume or succeed in a job interview? (By Crystal D. Vogt, 11/10/05)