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Freedom Debt Relief settles over $20 billion in consumer debt, wins USA Today's America's Best Customer Service 2025 award

Freedom Debt Relief settles over $20 billion in consumer debt, wins USA Today's America's Best Customer Service 2025 award

Freedom Debt Relief is the sole debt settlement company recognized in USA Today's rankings of companies delivering the best customer experience.
SAN MATEO, Calif., April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Freedom Debt Relief, one of the largest and longest-running providers of debt settlement services in the U.S., has surpassed $20 billion in debt relief for struggling consumers. In addition, Freedom Debt Relief was the only debt settlement company to receive USA Today's America's Best Customer Service 2025 award, recognizing companies that offer the best customer service in the country.
These landmark achievements underscore Freedom Debt Relief's unwavering mission to help everyday Americans regain control of their finances. Since its founding in 2002, Freedom Debt Relief has served more than 1 million clients, settling over 5 million accounts and delivering life-changing results to individuals nationwide.
'Surpassing $20 billion in debt settled is more than a number. It represents real impact for real people,' said Freedom Debt Relief President Sean Fox. 'It means millions of burdens lifted and a better financial future for our clients. We're proud to be the resource people turn to when they need a helping hand.'
America's Best Customer Service 2025 is a ranking of 600 service providers, brick-and-mortar retailers and online merchants 'that excel in delivering the best customer experience using a variety of measures, including public data and a large-scale confidential online survey conducted among U.S. customers,' according to USA Today and research firm Plant-A Insights.
This honor reflects Freedom Debt Relief's continued investment in delivering empathetic, results-oriented support for clients navigating some of life's most difficult financial moments. The rankings are based on the results of more than 687,000 company reviews from 67,000 consumer interviews, making it one of the largest independent customer experience studies fielded in the country. Freedom Debt Relief is the only debt settlement company included among the 47 banking, insurance and financial services industry firms featured in the rankings.
Freedom Debt Relief has relationships with over 4,000 creditors and uses over 20 years of consumer debt data, artificial intelligence and proprietary technology to optimize negotiation strategies that meet clients' individual needs. Through its proven debt settlement program, Freedom Debt Relief negotiates directly with creditors on behalf of its clients to reduce the total amount owed on unsecured debts. Clients enroll in a custom program, during which they make monthly deposits into an FDIC-insured dedicated account. As funds build, Freedom Debt Relief's expert negotiators work to settle enrolled accounts for less than the amount owed — often leading to significant savings and a faster path out of debt.
Consumer-centric approach driven by transparency and innovation
A personalized, client-first approach is what sets Freedom Debt Relief apart. Every Freedom Debt Relief client is supported by a dedicated team that combines empathy with expertise, helping them navigate the emotional and financial challenges of debt. Throughout its over 20-year history, Freedom Debt Relief has maintained a steadfast commitment to its clients and has been a pioneer of numerous industry innovations, including:
'We built Freedom Debt Relief to give people hope, dignity and an effective solution when they have a financial hardship,' Fox said. 'This $20 billion milestone reflects our significant impact helping people across the nation get a second chance at financial freedom.'
Freedom Debt Relief remains committed to redefining what's possible for Americans in debt, and turning their financial goals into reality. Freedom's recognition by USA Today as a top customer service provider further reinforces its reputation for trust, reliability and results. From the first conversation to the final settlement, Freedom Debt Relief delivers award-winning service that puts the client experience at the center of everything it does.
To learn more about the Freedom Debt Relief program, visit freedomdebtrelief.com/facts/
ABOUT FREEDOM DEBT RELIEF
Freedom Debt Relief is one of the largest and longest-running providers of debt resolution services in the United States. We help consumers take control of their finances by giving them a proven plan to relieve their debt burden — and in the process, help them make better financial decisions in the future. Working on behalf of its consumer clients, Freedom Debt Relief negotiates with creditors to reduce the amount of debt they owe. Freedom Debt Relief is an accredited debt resolution company based in San Mateo, Calif. and has served more than 1 million consumers, helping to resolve over $20 billion in debt since 2002.
Press Contact
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View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freedom-debt-relief-settles-over-20-billion-in-consumer-debt-wins-usa-todays-americas-best-customer-service-2025-award-302426962.html
SOURCE Freedom Debt Relief

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AP-NORC poll: Many say Medicaid, food stamps underfunded amid GOP cuts push

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AP-NORC poll: Many say Medicaid, food stamps underfunded amid GOP cuts push

WASHINGTON -- As Republican senators consider President Donald Trump's big bill that could slash federal spending and extend tax cuts, a new survey shows most U.S. adults don't think the government is overspending on the programs the GOP has focused on cutting, like Medicaid and food stamps. Americans broadly support increasing or maintaining existing levels of funding for popular safety net programs, including Social Security and Medicare, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. They're more divided on spending around the military and border security, and most think the government is spending too much on foreign aid. The poll points to a disconnect between Republicans' policy agenda and public sentiment around the domestic programs that are up for debate in the coming weeks. Here's the latest polling data on how Americans view federal funding: Many Americans see Medicaid and food assistance programs as underfunded — even as Congress proposes significant cuts to Medicaid and food and nutrition assistance programs — and few say 'too much' money is going to these programs. About half of U.S. adults say 'too little' funding goes to Medicaid, which is a government health care coverage program for low-income people and people with certain disabilities. Nearly half, 45%, say food and nutrition assistance programs like food stamps, SNAP or EBT cards are underfunded, according to the poll. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults in each case say those programs are receiving 'about the right amount' of funding, indicating that most Americans likely do not want to see significant cuts to the two programs. About 2 in 10 say Medicaid is overfunded, while about one-quarter say that about food assistance programs. Republicans are especially likely to say 'too much' is spent on food and nutrition assistance programs when compared with Democrats and independents — 46% of Republicans say this, compared with about 1 in 10 Democrats and independents. When it comes to Medicaid, fewer Republicans, about one-third, say the government is spending 'too much.' About 6 in 10 Americans say there is not enough government money going toward Social Security, Medicare or education broadly. But Democrats overwhelmingly think 'too little' money is allocated to these areas, while Republicans are happier with the status quo. Very few think Medicare, Social Security and education are getting 'too much' funding. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans say this about either Medicare or Social Security. Roughly one-quarter of Republicans say too much is spent on education. When it comes to Social Security, about half of Republicans say 'too little' is spent, compared with about 7 in 10 Democrats. Americans are more divided on whether the government is devoting too much money to the military or border security. About 3 in 10 say the government is spending 'too much' on the military, while a similar share say the government is spending 'too little.' Close to 4 in 10 say the government is spending 'about the right amount.' Republicans are much less likely to say 'too little' is being spent on border security than they were before Trump took office again in January. Now, 45% of Republicans say 'too little' is being spent, down from 79% in a January AP-NORC poll. On the other hand, Democrats are more likely to say that 'too much' is being spent on border security. About half of Democrats now say this, compared with about 3 in 10 in January. The Trump administration has asked Congress for deep reductions to foreign aid programs, including cuts to global health programs and refugee resettlement initiatives. Foreign aid is one area with more general agreement that there is 'too much' federal spending. Most U.S. adults, 56%, say the U.S. government is spending too much on assistance to other countries, which is down from 69% in an AP-NORC poll from March 2023. There is a deep partisan divide on the issue, though. About 8 in 10 Republicans say the country is overspending on foreign aid, compared with about one-third of Democrats. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Mark Carney to meet Donald Trump one-on-one as world leaders arrive for G7 in Kananaskis
Mark Carney to meet Donald Trump one-on-one as world leaders arrive for G7 in Kananaskis

Hamilton Spectator

timean hour ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Mark Carney to meet Donald Trump one-on-one as world leaders arrive for G7 in Kananaskis

CALGARY — Prime Minister Mark Carney has a chance to make a breakthrough in talks to lift tariffs on Canada when he sits down for a one-on-one discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump Monday before the Kananaskis G7 summit kicks off. Carney has a dual mission as he hosts this week's meeting of the world's leading democratic economies: to lead talks that end in G7 consensus, not insults, on a gamut of global challenges, from the economy, and energy security, to international security. And, in his talks with Trump, to try to achieve a breakthrough on negotiations toward a 'new economic and security agreement.' The prime minister says any deal must include the U.S. dropping so-called 'border-related' emergency tariffs, steel and aluminum tariffs, and auto tariffs that Trump wielded against Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney touched down in Alberta, for the three-day G7 summit set in the secluded Kananaskis wilderness near Calgary. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) However, federal sources who have spoken to the Star over the past several days in advance of the summit have downplayed the prospect of a deal emerging from their bilateral meeting, while acknowledging things could change quickly. 'Obviously the condition for us participating in a new defence and security partnership is that tariffs are lifted,' Dominic LeBlanc, Carney's minister leading the Canada-U.S. file, said in an interview with the Star. 'The Prime Minister has said that to the President.' If not, LeBlanc said, Carney has prepared 'a series of options' to increase Canada's own counterpunch to the Americans. A show of maintained unity on geopolitical problems will be seen as success after President 'The government will look at all of the potential ways to increase pressure on the Americans if we conclude that we're not close to or on the verge of a discussion that would give us the deal that would see all of these tariffs lifted.' 'The Prime Minister will decide over the coming days or weeks how he wants to proceed,' LeBlanc said. But LeBlanc said their talks don't amount to a quid pro quo negotiation, in which Canada simply pays billions more for defence or to participate in the Golden Dome and tariffs are subsequently dropped. LeBlanc said that characterization makes it sound like a 'take it or leave it' discussion, whereas the minister who has been shuttling back and forth between Ottawa and Washington characterized it as a more 'nuanced' conversation, in which LeBlanc 'totally' sees as a path to zero tariffs, despite suggestions by Trump's ambassador that's not in the cards. Furthermore, Canada is ready to reopen deeper trilateral talks if the U.S. insists on turning next year's scheduled review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal into a renegotiation, but LeBlanc said the U.S. has not demanded that. 'We're all in on a trilateral Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement. And we're happy to work with the Americans in reviewing that,' the minister said. There is no trilateral meeting scheduled at this time between Trump, Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is also attending the G7 session that includes other world leaders. For now, Canada-U.S. talks are focused on a bilateral agreement aimed at nailing what Carney called a more comprehensive economic and security partnership, as he said repeatedly during the campaign. Carney told Radio-Canada host Patrice Roy on Wednesday that while he and Trump have made 'progress' there is no agreement yet 'ready for signing,' — which other Canadian officials who spoke to the Star on a background basis over the past two days echoed. 'We can wait,' said Carney. 'We're becoming stronger and the Americans are becoming weaker.' The prime minister noted that 'no country has free trade with the United States right now. Other countries are getting reductions in tariffs but not the elimination of tariffs.' Carney said he thinks he has a good rapport with Trump 'but he is negotiating in the interest of Americans and I am negotiating for Canada and there is a vision of the trading world that is very different than our vision, and the vision of big countries in Asia, for example. So we have to find a solution.' Meanwhile, Carney is pursuing and very publicly touting stronger alliances with other like-minded countries, downing beers Saturday with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer as they watched a hockey game, and meeting Sunday on Parliament Hill in Ottawa before heading to the G7 summit. World leaders are set to gather in Kananaskis, Alberta as Canada hosts a high-stakes G7 summit focused on trade, diplomacy, and global cooperation. (June 14, 2025 / The Canadian Press) A joint statement Carney and Starmer issued highlighted their shared belief in the importance of 'fair, open and predictable global trading system; reiterated their commitment to a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and committed to advancing peace and trans-Atlantic security.' The prime minister said in the Radio-Canada interview it is possible to make progress at the G7 on Ukraine, noting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump, the head of NATO along with France and the U.K. as leaders of a 'coalition of the willing' will all be there, in advance of a key NATO summit later this month. Carney underscored, 'there will never be a solution without Ukraine. We are going to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.' How to address Ukraine and the economic fallout from his global tariff war will put Trump potentially at odds with other leaders, yet many are also seeking bilateral trade discussions with him on the sidelines. Trump told reporters Wednesday he is dealing with 'about 15 countries' and hopes to send letters out 'in about a week and a half, two weeks' on where those negotiations have landed. But on Sunday before departing Washington he suggested some new trade deals would be nailed down at the summit. Leaders from the world's richest countries will gather for a Group of Seven summit, starting Sunday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump wages a trade war against them. Later in June Trump is scheduled to attend a NATO summit in Europe. (AP Video / June 13, 2025) 'Look we have our trade deals. all we have to do is send a letter, this is what you're going to have to pay. But I think we'll have a few new trade deals' at the summit, Trump said Sunday en route to Kananaskis. When the president doubled steel and aluminum tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, Carney did not immediately retaliate heading into the G7 summit, despite calls from domestic steel companies and unions who also want the Carney government to lift counter-tariff exemptions (known as remissions) on U.S. steel. The government has, however, acted on their demand to tighten tariffs against other foreign countries who are suspected of dumping cheap steel into the Canadian market. Trump was to arrive in Calgary Sunday, along with a number of his cabinet members, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were expected to attend. Airplane enthusiasts are setting up at the Calgary International Airport in hopes of seeing some exciting aircraft land for the start of the G7 leaders' summit in nearby Kananaskis, Alta. A group gathered at an airport viewing area in hopes of seeing Air Force 1 carrying U.S. President Donald Trump. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) Carney has scheduled a Tuesday morning bilateral meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official said. The invitation to Modi drew sharp criticism in Canada. However Carney justified including Modi at the G7 outreach session, saying as leader of the world's most populous country, Modi's presence at talks on economic challenges such as harnessing critical minerals, artificial intelligence and quantum computing was important. He said Modi's government has agreed to co-operate with Canadian law enforcement agencies investigating foreign interference including the alleged assassination of a Canadian citizen at the direction of Indian government agents. Carney is expected to have about 16 bilateral meetings on the margins of the G7 sessions, said another Canadian official. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith along with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek greeted Carney as he and his wife Diana Fox Carney's plane landed. They spoke for a few minutes in a brief and apparently cordial exchange, before the prime minister headed downtown for one-on-one meetings with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the G20 host who said he'd come to learn from Carney how to throw a summit. Albanese told Carney, 'We have very similar economies, historically. We share a vast continent, very vast,' Albanese said. 'You get your own continent,' Carney quipped. In the evening Carney met in Kananaskis with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Several G7 countries stated ahead of the summit that one of their top priorities heading into the meetings was to find a consensus on how to help Ukraine achieve a lasting ceasefire with Russia. However, with the sudden escalation of hostilities in the Middle East after Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities and killed key military leaders, and Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel, global security is top of mind. 'Obviously, the conflict with Israel and Iran is centrepiece,' Starmer told reporters at his meeting with Carney Sunday. 'And this provides the opportunity to talk to our co-leaders about the fast-moving situation, and to make our strong case together that there must be de-escalation of this conflict in the interests of the region, and of course the world.'

Canada comes to town
Canada comes to town

Politico

timean hour ago

  • Politico

Canada comes to town

NORTHERN ATTITUDE — Governors from New England and New York will head to the State House today to meet with top officials from six of Canada's provinces to talk about how they can maintain their relationships as federal leaders fight over tariffs. Gov. Maura Healey invited governors from New England plus New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and premiers from Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to the Bay State last month. The meeting is part of an effort to 'keep open lines of communication and cooperation and identify avenues to overcome the hardship of these uninvited tariffs and help our economies endure,' she wrote in the invitation. Everyone on the invite list is participating, but Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte won't be there themselves. Lamont, is sending Connecticut's energy commissioner, Katie Dykes, in his place, and New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell will be there on behalf of Ayotte, according to Healey's office. If you've been struggling to follow exactly where things stand with tariffs, you're not alone. The on-again-off-again nature of them has been derided by Wall Street and memed by Democrats. The uncertainty on its own is 'very harmful,' Peter Howe, a member of the New England-Canada Business Council's board of directors, told Playbook. 'Your ability as a state or province to take action when there's a giant wave of tariffs — threatened, or in the works — that really is going to circumscribe how much you can actually do to affect trade,' he said. Adding more question marks: Eleven states — including Connecticut, Maine and New York — sued the White House in April, claiming the tariffs essentially amount to hefty illegal taxes on Americans that were never approved by Congress. A ruling from the U.S. Court of International Trade striking down Trump's tariffs was followed by a similar federal court ruling. But the Trump administration notched a win last week after a federal appeals court said that the tariffs could remain in place while the court determines their legality. In the meantime, what can states and provincial leaders do to prepare? 'New England states can make a pitch that they remain very open and very eager to welcome Canadians,' Howe said. 'That's an incredibly important message to get out because we're seeing the numbers drop across every mode — fewer Canadians, driving, flying, coming by other means into the United States.' GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Tips, scoops, meeting with any Canadian officials? Hit me up: kgarrity@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey meets with other New England governors and Canadian premiers at noon at the State House. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announces grant funding for affordable housing projects at 9:30 a.m. in Brockton. Sen. Ed Markey speaks at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce forum at 9:45 a.m. in Boston. Rep. Seth Moulton hosts a town hall at 6 p.m. in Tewksbury. Rep. Katherine Clark holds a forum on closing the gender wage gap and supporting the economic success of women at 6:30 p.m. in Boston. Rep. Ayanna Pressley hosts a town hall at 7 p.m. in Chelsea. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the city's Youth Championship Sports Celebration at 5:15 p.m. downtown and hosts a celebration for 2025 Boston Marathon athletes who live in Boston at 6 p.m. downtown. DATELINE BEACON HILL 'HORRIFIED' — The man suspected of killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman over the weekend was caught Sunday after authorities spent almost two days searching for him. The man, Vance Boelter, was charged with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder, according to The Associated Pres s, after he allegedly impersonated a police officer and shot the lawmakers and their spouses in their homes. Massachusetts lawmakers expressed shock and outrage over the shootings on Saturday: — Gov. Maura Healey said she was 'horrified' by the news. 'Lawmakers and their loved ones getting shot for their beliefs is yet another sickening act of political violence in a country where it's become all too common,' she said in a statement. 'This is not normal. It is not who we are as Americans, and we must all condemn political violence in the strongest possible terms.' — Senate President Karen Spilka called the shootings 'political violence, pure and simple.' 'America's founders envisioned a country where we address our differences through debate, not violence,' she said. 'We must continue to use our voices to keep advocating for the country we dream to be, even as acts of political violence seem more common.' — 'I know that I speak for the entire Massachusetts House of Representatives when I say that I am appalled and heartbroken by the political violence that took the lives of Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark,' House Speaker Ron Mariano said. 'Political violence of any kind has no place in America, nor does the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that can often incite that violence,' he said. — Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr described the shootings as 'a direct affront to the principles of democracy and civil society.' 'When violence enters our public life — whether in the streets, online or behind closed doors — it undermines the very fabric of our shared civic trust,' he said in a statement condemning the shootings. RELATED — After one of the darkest days in state history, Minnesotans wonder: Is this who we are now? by Reid Forgrave, Sarah Ritter and Bob Timmons, The Minnesota Star Tribune. ALSO RELATED — 'Her mirthful eyes, her sharp humor': Colleagues remember Melissa Hortman, assassinated at age 55 by Matthew Blake, MinnPost. MORE — Fact check: Did suspect in Minnesota shootings have close ties to Gov. Tim Walz? by Walker Orenstein, The Minnesota Star Tribune: 'It's true that Walz reappointed Boelter in 2019 to a workforce development advisory board, one that Hoffman also served on at the time. But the governor did not know Boelter, a source in his office said, and emphasized these are not appointments to a position in the governor's office or Cabinet. Boelter was first appointed to the board in 2016 by then-Gov. Mark Dayton. Boelter's friend and roommate David Carlson told reporters on Saturday that Boelter voted for President Donald Trump and was a 'strong supporter' of the president but was 'hardly ever talking about politics lately.'' VOTE OF CONFIDENCE — Republican House Minority Leader Brad Jones got a nod from MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale after he faced some criticism from his own party during the state budget debate. 'We fully support Leader Jones,' Carnevale said during an interview on WBZ's 'Keller @ Large' that aired Sunday. 'He was elected by his caucus and we think that he's representing the caucus well in serving [the] Republican constituency.' — Senate President Karen Spilka wants a school cellphone ban in place before new academic year by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Senate President Karen Spilka said she wants her chamber to approve a statewide ban on cellphones in public schools in the coming months in an attempt to put a proposal before Gov. Maura Healey before the start of the school year this fall.' — Head of ICE says Gov. Healey and Mayor Wu have 'touted lawlessness' by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: 'Federal immigration officials blasted Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for touting 'lawlessness' in the aftermath of a wave of immigration enforcement in the state. The statement from ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons made direct criticism of Healey and Wu following the release of a Milford teen arrested on his way to volleyball practice by immigration officers looking for his dad.' — Spilka compares ICE arrests to Adolf Hitler's rise to power by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald. — Healey meets with recently detained Milford teen, gives him beaded rosary blessed by Pope Francis by Marcela Rodrigues, The Boston Globe. FROM THE HUB — Boston City Council OKs commission to study office vacancies by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'The Boston City Council passed a resolution calling for the Wu administration to establish a Blue Ribbon Commission to address downtown office vacancies that have one watchdog warning of a nearly $2 billion budget shortfall in five years. The Council this week passed the non-binding resolution by a 12-0 vote, with one councilor, Sharon Durkan, voting present. The approval marks the second time the Council has indicated its support for such a commission.' AROUND THE STATE — Dozens rally in 'No Kings' protest on Taunton Green by Daniel Schemer, The Taunton Daily Gazette. — Brockton turns out for 'No Kings' rally by Amelia Stern, The Brockton Enterprise. — 'No Kings,' say over 2,000 at Worcester Common in massive anti-Trump rally by Meg Trogolo, Telegram & Gazette. — South Coast residents protest Trump's policies at 'No Kings' rallies by Crystal Yormick and Eleonora Bianchi, The New Bedford Light. — Thousands turn out for 'No Kings' protests in WMass, say U.S. is no place for an authoritarian by Lily Reavis, Daily Hampshire Gazette. — Protesters flood Greater Lowell to denounce Trump's leadership by Aaron Curtis and Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun. FROM THE 413 — Mayor adds $217K to Northampton school budget, 2 high school teaching positions would be restored by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Less than week before the City Council is expected to vote on the city's fiscal 2026 budget, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has secured an additional $217,000 for the school district, with funds planned to be used to restore two high school teacher positions as well as an elementary school gardening program.' — Mount Holyoke College pauses plans to build hub for its $180M geothermal heating system by Emilee Klein, Greenfield Recorder: 'Mount Holyoke College will indefinitely pause construction of its geothermal pump hub — the heart of its $180 million effort to build a carbon-neutral heating and cooling system — due to uncertainties with potential tariffs and economic downturn.' — Too many school day absences? Lenox has a plan to help students recover lost class time by Clarence Fanto, The Berkshire Eagle: 'A plan by Lenox Memorial Middle and High School Principal Jeremiah Ames aims to reduce double-digit percentage absentee rates to pre-pandemic, single-digit levels.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Taunton reverses itself, releases video from mayor's booking after arrest by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette: 'Taunton has released a 15-minute video of Mayor Shaunna O'Connell's booking in the Taunton Police station following her arrest in July 2024 on domestic violence charges. In the video, O'Connell appears to have a calm demeanor and be cooperating with police throughout. … The city released the 15 minute booking room video late Friday afternoon, June 13. When asked for comment on release of the video, Holly Robichaud, a spokesperson for O'Connell, told the Gazette that 'this is nothing more than the media exploiting a year old family matter to grab headlines' and that 'Mayor O'Connell has done an exceptional job for Taunton.' — Police investigating after brick marked 'Free Palestine' thrown through window of Jewish grocery store by Sam Mintz, 'Brookline police are investigating after a brick marked 'Free Palestine' was thrown through the window of The Butcherie, a Jewish grocery store, early on Sunday morning. Police say that at least two people wearing masks came from the direction of Coolidge Street, threw the brick through the store's window, and fled back down Coolidge Street. The act is being investigated as a hate crime, according to the press release.' — Parking changes, entry restrictions planned for Worcester City Hall by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: 'Come June 23, City Hall visitors will be able to enter only through the building's Main Street entrance as the city continues to ramp up safety measures. Visitors will also be required to pass through what the city has called a 'concealed weapons detector' and then check in at a visitor kiosk, according to a statement by city spokesperson Thomas Matthews.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Mark Steffen is joining the MassGOP as political director with a focus on communications, candidate recruitment and data support. He was the campaign manager for John Deaton's 2024 bid for U.S. Senate and Anthony Amore's 2022 run for State Auditor. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to POLITICO's Madison Fernandez, Tom Fleming, the Boston Herald's Mac Cerullo, MassINC's Richard Parr, Nicholas McCool and Bill Shaner. CORRECTION: Friday's Massachusetts Playbook misspelled state Sen. Julian Cyr's last name.

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