Greenhead flies are coming, and this will be their most evil season in memory
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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
There's a dumb tradition, in the towns along the Great Marsh in the northeastern corner of Massachusetts, of debating whether it's a 'good' greenhead season or a 'bad' greenhead season.
That's because every greenhead season is wretched. I live in of those Great Marsh towns, and I can assure you there is no good or bad. There is only evil, for what those vile creatures accomplish each July is obscene: They wait for the best beach days, and then they take them from us.
If you are unfamiliar with the greenhead horsefly, play the Powerball immediately, because
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They are out for blood. Literally, for they need a blood-meal to lay a second round of eggs, and they love dining on the human leg. These vampire bugs prefer sunny, windless days, so they can land so gently you won't even feel them. They will then use their sharp mouth parts to open a hole in your leg, inject you with an anticoagulant, and start dining. Only then does the unsuspecting mammal realize what's up, because that anticoagulant hurts. A lot. Like a lot a lot. There's a reason that Crane Beach in Ipswich, in the heart of fly country, puts out a sign at the parking lot entrance warning that the greenheads are out, and there are no refunds.
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If you know, you know. If you don't, you'll end up like my college roommate,
I don't know if you've ever seen a 260-pound former catcher in fight-or-flight mode while trapped on the deck of an old Boston Whaler, but you'll want to bring a video camera. You know that dance they do at Oktoberfest, slapping their legs and flailing about? Now picture this dance being performed by someone on fire.
Any day now, this will all begin again, and it will be the worst greenhead season in memory. Not because it will be 'bad.' But because it will steal the best days of July in a year where Mother Nature already stole most of the best days of May and June. We had
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I'm launching the boat as soon as I'm finished writing this, because it feels like I'm racing a ticking time bomb. (I was supposed to be off anyway,
Globe.
And yes, I know I was supposed to write this
Wednesday,
but I got traumatized thinking about these sinister bugs
.
)
And, as always, I will be armed.
Because there is one good thing about greenhead season, and that is murder. There is no such thing as a greenhead repellant,
No, the only defense is a good offense. You must kill them.
And so as I pack the boat with all the rods and lures and other tools I use to rarely catch fish, I will follow the Baker Family Safe Boating Guidelines: Every passenger must have one life jacket, two fly swatters, and be out for blood.
🧩
5 Down:
68°
POINTS OF INTEREST
A Supreme Court ruling will allow states to cut Medicaid funds to reproductive health provider Planned Parenthood.
Justin Sullivan/Getty
Sowing doubt:
Pediatricians are slamming RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory panel after it voted to reassess current vaccination schedules for children and adolescents, a move they say is designed to undermine trust in immunizations. (
Advertisement
Restaurant manager detained:
A popular West African restaurant in Roxbury may suspend operations after its
Funding cut:
A divided Supreme Court ruled that South Carolina can cut off all Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, even for non-abortion health care. The decision has nationwide implications. (
Abortion bill:
The Mass. Senate approved a measure
'One if by land, two if by D.C.'
Remember that projection on Old North Church? A small collective is staging acts of protest with
GOP bill obstacles:
Between the Senate parliamentarian's rejections and internal disagreements about Medicaid cuts, the GOP's domestic bill is languishing. (
Science shift:
As Trump starves Harvard and other prestigious blue state universities of billions in scientific research funding, large public universities in the South and Midwest believe they are
Big carrots:
The Trump administration is trying to get Iran back to the negotiating table by offering it $30 billion for a civilian-energy nuclear program, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds. (
Not a laughing matter:
A card game based on Boston's deadly Great Molasses Flood of 1919 is designed to commemorate the disaster, but
some local historians say its whimsical nature
Advertisement
Retrospective:
MFA director Matthew Teitelbaum dissects the kaleidoscopic jumble of issues he's had to navigate
VIEWPOINTS
Should the town of Brookline keep its select board and representative town meeting form of government, or become a city and switch to a mayor-city council or city council-city manager form? Two op-ed columns debated the issue.
Keep town meeting:
The current system offers just as much accountability, transparency, and leadership as a mayor/city manager and city council would,
Change to a city structure:
Three members of a town committee that spent 16 months studying the issue say that town meeting is
BESIDE THE POINT
By Teresa Hanafin
📺 Weekend streaming picks:
A new 'Looney Tunes' movie, the UK action-adventure 'Nautilus,' a coming-of-age tale perfect for movie night,
🎬
Top 100 films:
The New York Times polled more than 500 filmmakers, stars, and influential film fans to create a list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century — so far. (
💘
Blind date:
She plays guitar in a band and works with kids; he's a former chef who likes to play tennis and soccer.
Advertisement
👨🍳
Epic:
Episode 4 of the new season of 'The Bear' represents
💍
Bezos bash:
Here are some details about Jeff Bezos' Venice wedding, and a list of some of the celebrities who are attending. If you care. (
🦈 Great sighting:
Guides and passengers on a whale watching tour near Cape Ann caught a glimpse of
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by
❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at
✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can
📬 Delivered Monday through Friday.
Billy Baker can be reached at
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Boston Globe
6 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Greenhead flies are coming, and this will be their most evil season in memory
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT There's a dumb tradition, in the towns along the Great Marsh in the northeastern corner of Massachusetts, of debating whether it's a 'good' greenhead season or a 'bad' greenhead season. That's because every greenhead season is wretched. I live in of those Great Marsh towns, and I can assure you there is no good or bad. There is only evil, for what those vile creatures accomplish each July is obscene: They wait for the best beach days, and then they take them from us. If you are unfamiliar with the greenhead horsefly, play the Powerball immediately, because Advertisement They are out for blood. Literally, for they need a blood-meal to lay a second round of eggs, and they love dining on the human leg. These vampire bugs prefer sunny, windless days, so they can land so gently you won't even feel them. They will then use their sharp mouth parts to open a hole in your leg, inject you with an anticoagulant, and start dining. Only then does the unsuspecting mammal realize what's up, because that anticoagulant hurts. A lot. Like a lot a lot. There's a reason that Crane Beach in Ipswich, in the heart of fly country, puts out a sign at the parking lot entrance warning that the greenheads are out, and there are no refunds. Advertisement If you know, you know. If you don't, you'll end up like my college roommate, I don't know if you've ever seen a 260-pound former catcher in fight-or-flight mode while trapped on the deck of an old Boston Whaler, but you'll want to bring a video camera. You know that dance they do at Oktoberfest, slapping their legs and flailing about? Now picture this dance being performed by someone on fire. Any day now, this will all begin again, and it will be the worst greenhead season in memory. Not because it will be 'bad.' But because it will steal the best days of July in a year where Mother Nature already stole most of the best days of May and June. We had Advertisement I'm launching the boat as soon as I'm finished writing this, because it feels like I'm racing a ticking time bomb. (I was supposed to be off anyway, Globe. And yes, I know I was supposed to write this Wednesday, but I got traumatized thinking about these sinister bugs . ) And, as always, I will be armed. Because there is one good thing about greenhead season, and that is murder. There is no such thing as a greenhead repellant, No, the only defense is a good offense. You must kill them. And so as I pack the boat with all the rods and lures and other tools I use to rarely catch fish, I will follow the Baker Family Safe Boating Guidelines: Every passenger must have one life jacket, two fly swatters, and be out for blood. 🧩 5 Down: 68° POINTS OF INTEREST A Supreme Court ruling will allow states to cut Medicaid funds to reproductive health provider Planned Parenthood. Justin Sullivan/Getty Sowing doubt: Pediatricians are slamming RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory panel after it voted to reassess current vaccination schedules for children and adolescents, a move they say is designed to undermine trust in immunizations. ( Advertisement Restaurant manager detained: A popular West African restaurant in Roxbury may suspend operations after its Funding cut: A divided Supreme Court ruled that South Carolina can cut off all Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, even for non-abortion health care. The decision has nationwide implications. ( Abortion bill: The Mass. Senate approved a measure 'One if by land, two if by D.C.' Remember that projection on Old North Church? A small collective is staging acts of protest with GOP bill obstacles: Between the Senate parliamentarian's rejections and internal disagreements about Medicaid cuts, the GOP's domestic bill is languishing. ( Science shift: As Trump starves Harvard and other prestigious blue state universities of billions in scientific research funding, large public universities in the South and Midwest believe they are Big carrots: The Trump administration is trying to get Iran back to the negotiating table by offering it $30 billion for a civilian-energy nuclear program, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds. ( Not a laughing matter: A card game based on Boston's deadly Great Molasses Flood of 1919 is designed to commemorate the disaster, but some local historians say its whimsical nature Advertisement Retrospective: MFA director Matthew Teitelbaum dissects the kaleidoscopic jumble of issues he's had to navigate VIEWPOINTS Should the town of Brookline keep its select board and representative town meeting form of government, or become a city and switch to a mayor-city council or city council-city manager form? Two op-ed columns debated the issue. Keep town meeting: The current system offers just as much accountability, transparency, and leadership as a mayor/city manager and city council would, Change to a city structure: Three members of a town committee that spent 16 months studying the issue say that town meeting is BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 📺 Weekend streaming picks: A new 'Looney Tunes' movie, the UK action-adventure 'Nautilus,' a coming-of-age tale perfect for movie night, 🎬 Top 100 films: The New York Times polled more than 500 filmmakers, stars, and influential film fans to create a list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century — so far. ( 💘 Blind date: She plays guitar in a band and works with kids; he's a former chef who likes to play tennis and soccer. Advertisement 👨🍳 Epic: Episode 4 of the new season of 'The Bear' represents 💍 Bezos bash: Here are some details about Jeff Bezos' Venice wedding, and a list of some of the celebrities who are attending. If you care. ( 🦈 Great sighting: Guides and passengers on a whale watching tour near Cape Ann caught a glimpse of Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Billy Baker can be reached at
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
Celebrities Sign Letter Opposing Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP: Full List
More than 30 prominent figures from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter urging Congress to reject deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. The letter, published by nonprofit organization Feeding America on June 25, described the proposals as "unacceptable and wrong" while warning that millions of Americans rely on these programs for basic food security and health care. It includes signatures from the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Matt Damon, and former One Direction star Zayn Malik. Newsweek reached out to Feeding America for comment via its website outside of regular working hours. The proposed reductions to SNAP and Medicaid form part of a Republican-led legislative package making its way through Congress, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. If enacted, these cuts could result in millions losing access to food assistance and health care, with an estimated 7.6 million at risk of losing Medicaid coverage and SNAP losing 9.5 billion meals per year. Led by a diverse array of actors, musicians, and entertainment professionals, the open letter urges lawmakers to protect federal food aid and health care for the most vulnerable. The letter reads: "Food is a beautiful way humans show care, compassion, and love... It's a fundamental part of the human experience and a basic right we all deserve." The full list of signatories is as follows: Adina PorterAlan CummingBianca LawsonChrishell StauseConnie BrittonDan BucatinskyDanai GuriraDanielle BrooksDaniella PinedaDavid ArquetteDon JohnsonKaren PittmanKelvin BeachumKristin ChenowethLana ParrillaLiev SchreiberLiza Colón-ZayasMatt DamonMichael ChiklisMichelle WilliamsMinka KellyNancy TravisPaul ScheerRon PopeRosario DawsonRyan EggoldSamantha HarrisScarlett JohanssonSheryl CrowZayn MalikZoey Deutch The proposal introduces new work requirements of 80 hours per month for many adult recipients of Medicaid and SNAP, extending to individuals up to age 65. Parents with children over the age of 10 would need to work to remain eligible for food assistance, while those with teenage children would also be subject to the Medicaid work mandate. It also proposes shifting some of the cost of SNAP benefits to state budgets, which many governors have warned is unaffordable. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Medicaid changes could cause up to 10.9 million Americans to lose coverage, and new SNAP rules could result in 4 million fewer people having access to food benefits. The cuts are included as part of a larger effort to offset the costs of making President Donald Trump-era tax cuts permanent. Congress is expected to vote on the package in the coming weeks, with a deadline set for July 4. The Senate is expected to revise several parts of the legislation before holding a final vote. If any changes are approved, the bill will be sent back to the House for another vote. Related Articles Warning Issued From 23 States Over SNAP Benefit CutsGreg Abbott Vetoes Extra SNAP Benefits Over Trump UncertaintySNAP Summer EBT Payments: 3 States To Pay in JulyMap Shows Worst States for SNAP Fraud 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Celebrities Sign Letter Opposing Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP: Full List
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More than 30 prominent figures from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter urging Congress to reject deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. The letter, published by nonprofit organization Feeding America on June 25, described the proposals as "unacceptable and wrong" while warning that millions of Americans rely on these programs for basic food security and health care. It includes signatures from the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Matt Damon, and former One Direction star Zayn Malik. Newsweek reached out to Feeding America for comment via its website outside of regular working hours. Why It Matters The proposed reductions to SNAP and Medicaid form part of a Republican-led legislative package making its way through Congress, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. If enacted, these cuts could result in millions losing access to food assistance and health care, with an estimated 7.6 million at risk of losing Medicaid coverage and SNAP losing 9.5 billion meals per year. What To Know Led by a diverse array of actors, musicians, and entertainment professionals, the open letter urges lawmakers to protect federal food aid and health care for the most vulnerable. The letter reads: "Food is a beautiful way humans show care, compassion, and love... It's a fundamental part of the human experience and a basic right we all deserve." L: Producer Matt Damon at the Berlinale International Film Festival on February 15, 2024. R: Scarlett Johansson attends the "Jurassic World Rebirth" New York Premiere on June 23, 2025. L: Producer Matt Damon at the Berlinale International Film Festival on February 15, 2024. R: Scarlett Johansson attends the "Jurassic World Rebirth" New York Premiere on June 23, 2025. Andreas Rentz/Cindy Ord/GETTY Who Signed The Letter? The full list of signatories is as follows: Adina Porter Alan Cumming Bianca Lawson Chrishell Stause Connie Britton Dan Bucatinsky Danai Gurira Danielle Brooks Daniella Pineda David Arquette Don Johnson Karen Pittman Kelvin Beachum Kristin Chenoweth Lana Parrilla Liev Schreiber Liza Colón-Zayas Matt Damon Michael Chiklis Michelle Williams Minka Kelly Nancy Travis Paul Scheer Ron Pope Rosario Dawson Ryan Eggold Samantha Harris Scarlett Johansson Sheryl Crow Zayn Malik Zoey Deutch Details of Proposed SNAP and Medicaid Cuts The proposal introduces new work requirements of 80 hours per month for many adult recipients of Medicaid and SNAP, extending to individuals up to age 65. Parents with children over the age of 10 would need to work to remain eligible for food assistance, while those with teenage children would also be subject to the Medicaid work mandate. It also proposes shifting some of the cost of SNAP benefits to state budgets, which many governors have warned is unaffordable. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Medicaid changes could cause up to 10.9 million Americans to lose coverage, and new SNAP rules could result in 4 million fewer people having access to food benefits. The cuts are included as part of a larger effort to offset the costs of making President Donald Trump-era tax cuts permanent. What Happens Next Congress is expected to vote on the package in the coming weeks, with a deadline set for July 4. The Senate is expected to revise several parts of the legislation before holding a final vote. If any changes are approved, the bill will be sent back to the House for another vote.
