By Bob Katzen
“Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began. We’re also the birthplace of the abolition movement, a constant leader in civil rights movements and a state made stronger by our immigrant communities. As we celebrate MA250 and America250, it is a disgrace that President Trump is attempting to erase voices and perspectives from one of our nation’s most important historic sites. That’s not preserving history. That’s censoring it. President Trump doesn’t get to decide which parts of our history are worth remembering.”
—Gov. Healey on the National Park Service’s plan to remove informational panels from Boston’s Bunker Hill Monument featuring quotes about suffrage, immigration, abolitionist and anti-war movements. President Trump has sought to scrub national monuments, museums, parks and other historical sites of markers that the administration says cast the country’s “founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”
“This progress, experienced by families across the commonwealth as years of extra joy and life, is the result of a comprehensive and collaborative public health response that has prioritized evidence-based care, community partnership and compassion. Data show us that providing access to housing, harm reduction, treatment options and supportive peer communities works to prevent overdose. The commonwealth will continue its commitment to supporting and expanding access to these tools and services.”
—Health and Human Services Secretary Kiame Mahaniah on the number of opioid-related overdose fatalities in the Bay State falling below 1,000 for the first time in more than a decade, marking a significant improvement since Massachusetts broke a devastating record a few years ago.
“School meals do so much more than feed students. They connect children to local farms, introduce them to new foods and help build healthy habits that can last a lifetime. Congratulations to Northampton and all of this year’s Terrific Tray winners for showing what is possible when schools, farmers and communities work together.”
—Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on the 80th anniversary of the National School Lunch Program, announcing that Northampton is the winner of the 2026 Massachusetts Terrific Tray of the Year award for its school lunch tray featuring the new field fritter developed by Commonwealth Kitchen with peas grown in Maine, carrots grown in Hadley, apples from New York, lettuce from Shirley and tzatziki and allergen-free hummus.
“As the end of the school year approaches for our high school students across the state, Operation Safe Prom and Graduation helps remind students and parents about the real risks of underage drinking. We hope by raising awareness, we can promote responsible choices for our state’s young people.”
— State Treasurer Deb Goldberg