Pro-Vaping Group Protests Vape Ban Outside MA State House.
Yesterday a group of people with the Vapor Technology Association organized a protest outside the State House to voice opposition to Governor Baker's temporary ban of all vaping products for both marijuana and tobacco while a health investigation is conducted following CDC reports of vaping-related illnesses. [CBS Boston]
State Utilities Dept. Orders Columbia Gas to Cease All Non-Emergency Work.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has ordered Columbia Gas to stop all non-emergency work while an investigation is ongoing. DPH found that Columbia Gas failed to adhere to safety protocols leading up to the Merrimack Valley gas leak incident last fall in which dozens of houses exploded into flames and one person died. [Boston 25 News]
Fired T Employee Says He Was Discriminated Against Because He's White.
Mark Hayes alleges that if he'd been a black person, he wouldn't have been fired for saying this in front of coworkers. While watching a news report in August 2018 of a black woman climbing the Statue of Liberty as a political statement, Hayes commented that she should "go back to Africa." Hayes says he wasn't being racist; just expressing his political views. Now he's suing the MBTA. [Universal Hub]
Bluebikes Will Offer Unlimited Rides for $1 on Weekends While MBTA Lines Are Under Construction.
Repairs begin this weekend on the Orange and Red Lines, with some sections completely closed on weekends this fall. They also have bike route recommendations for those seeking to bike the route of closed line from Haymarket to Tufts Medical Center. [Bluebikes]
MassBio's 2019 Survey of Life Sciences Professionals Indicates That 60% Would Switch Jobs for a Better Commute.
Transportation challenges in Massachusetts are abundant. From gridlocked traffic in all directions around the city to an aging public transit system, there's no great way to commute to Boston. These difficulties are leading talented people to look elsewhere for work, as demonstrated by this year's transportation survey of professionals in life sciences. [MassBio]
Manslaughter Conviction Overturned in Fatal Heroin Overdose.
The State Supreme Court has thrown out an involuntary manslaughter conviction against Jesse Carrillo who was convicted in 2017 for the 2013 death of a fellow UMass Amherst student. The student died from a heroin overdose and Carrillo had provided the drugs. His conviction for distribution was upheld. [WBUR]
Image via Wikimedia Commons / Edward Orde
