By Bob Katzen
“We are grateful for the many Department of Mental Health (DMH) providers who provide compassionate care for individuals experiencing serious and persistent mental illness each day. The MA Repay program is a way to show our gratitude and commitment to the work that people are doing day after day.”
—Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh on the state awarding $10 million in student loan repayment to 221 DMH direct care staff and clinicians across the state.
“Supporting our performing arts centers is a strategic investment in the vitality of our communities. These organizations serve as hubs of creativity, offering transformative experiences that entertain, educate and inspire audiences of all ages. By supporting these institutions, we not only preserve our cultural heritage but also foster innovation, economic growth and social cohesion, ensuring a vibrant and enriching future for generations to come.”
—Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director, of the Mass Cultural Council announcing $3.6 million being awarded to 58 performing arts centers across the Bay State.
“Massachusetts has the best sports fans in the country. We are dedicated and determined. Especially Red Sox fans like those who continuously added their rallying call to end the curse to this sign. I’m excited to be joining the 2004 championship team, who broke the 86-year-curse for their fans, as we celebrate that history-making win and reunite them with this symbol of their fans who never gave up.”
—Gov. Maura Healey, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series, showing off the famous “Reverse the Curse” road sign. It was originally a road sign that hung off the Longfellow Bridge on Storrow Drive warning drivers of a curve in the road ahead, but was famously repeatedly spray-painted by Red Sox fans to say “Reverse the Curse,” in reference to the alleged curse that plagued the team after the sale of Babe Ruth and prevented them from winning the World Series from 1918 until 2003.
“The Healey administration needs to refocus their priority to save money for the taxpayers of Massachusetts. Spending $300 a night for the emergency shelter program is simply unsustainable for the state of Massachusetts and its taxpayers. The state is struggling to be economically competitive while its spending is soaring. The responsibility falls on our governor to make the hard decisions that result in our taxpayers becoming the number one priority.”
—Paul. Craney, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, in response to The Boston Herald story that said the state is paying up to $300 dollars a night for some of the housing under the emergency shelter program.