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Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Tornadoes and heat waves were hallmarks of last June. Are we in for a repeat of hot, volatile weather?
Another hot, volatile June? This coming June will likely see a slight uptick in both heat and rainfall from the 30-year norm across Boston and the rest of Southern New England. When it comes to New England as a whole, last June was pretty hot: The average daily high temperature was 76.8 degrees, well enough above the norm to make it the 5th warmest June on record (since record-keeping began in the late 1800s). It was the warmest since June 2021, which topped out at a 78-degree average. The 30-year average for the region is 73.6 degrees. Advertisement Boston, MA - 6/30/2021: Luca Tizzano, 6, enjoys the water at the BCYF Mirabella Pool in the North End neighborhood in Boston, MA on June 30, 2021. The last day of the current heat wave will be fierce, with showers and thunderstorms developing Wednesday amid temperatures once again breaking into the 90s across the region, the National Weather Service said. (Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Boston saw a tie for the 7th warmest June on record last year, including a The average daily high temperatures across New England during June. Last year was well above the average. NOAA We also see the ramp-up of severe thunderstorms during June. As the atmosphere continues to trend warmer, the high June sun angle amplifies the potential for severe thunderstorms by allowing for more water vapor to be stored in the atmosphere. Advertisement If the parameters are right, the air can become very unstable. We saw this last June with Related : What's interesting at the start of this summer is that most of the atmospheric patterns across the globe are in or near neutral phases — neither El Niño or La Niña, the naturally occurring climate patterns that usually have major implications on the weather we see here. With Keep in mind that when our context clues for weather are near neutral, that keeps the door open for more variability in our weather patterns. Temperatures We've seen a more inland track of the jet stream over the last few months, which has brought a more southerly flow into the picture more times than not, and we'll likely see the same scenario throughout June. Southern New England is forecast to see slightly elevated chances for above-average temperatures in June, with closer to an average June across the northern tier. The last time similar ENSO neutral conditions were present entering meteorological summer was back in 2014. The average temperature for the month was about half a degree above the average for New England. Advertisement Temperatures are forecast to be slightly warmer than average across Southern New England during June. Boston Globe Precipitation The other side of the coin, from a more interior storm track and variable jet stream, is a higher frequency of storms. We'll most likely continue to see a dynamic weather pattern throughout the month that will naturally boost rain chances across the region. Why? With the jet stream more inland, that opens the door for a southerly flow that will draw moisture and humidity into the region to support rain. And during the start of summer, when the sun's angle is at its peak, the chance for more intense rainfall from prolonged surface heating is possible. Compared to the same time when similar ENSO conditions were present in June of 2014, the region ended up seeing slightly above-average rainfall, and that's what we're expected to see this June. All of New England is forecast to see slightly above average rainfall during the month of June. Boston Globe We have to remember that the jet stream has been very sporadic and we've seen both sides of the seesaw — streaks of very warm temperatures followed by crashing cool days. The same goes for precipitation. If a storm draws in enough moisture off the Atlantic, New England can see a shot of 2 to 3 inches in just one day alone and can tip the scale to an above-average month. Stay tuned! for our that will arrive straight into your inbox bright and early each weekday morning. Ken Mahan can be reached at
Boston Globe
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Little known Revolutionary War battle of Chelsea Creek comes to life
Re-enactor Frances Wentworth looked over Urban Wild Park while preparing for the 250th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Chelsea Creek. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Kathy Touzjian of the Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Company played during anniversary celebration. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Spectators watch the skirmish from a hillside. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff A woman wrapped herself in a plastic tablecloth during a downpour at the anniversary celebration. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Re-enactors Sam Thibeault and Andrew Shein prepared for the skirmish. The Revolution's first naval battle involved colonial militia facing off with British troops and the HMS Diana. It ended with a victory for the colonists and the destruction of the British schooner. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Jon Fuller sets up a flag display during the 250th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Chelsea Creek at at Urban Wild Park in East Boston. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Re-enactor Doug Ozelius played the part of a fatally shot Royal Navy sailor during the staged skirmish. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
Boston Globe
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
7 kid-friendly things to do in and around Boston for Memorial Day weekend
Send questions or suggestions to the Starting Point team at . If you'd like the newsletter sent to your inbox, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT Ah, Memorial Day weekend: Three whole days without school, work, or (hopefully) extracurricular activities. What do you plan to do with your family? Here are seven quirky ideas in and around Boston, far from Boston Calling and the beach. 1. If your child is an adventurous eater, consider a ramen-making class at 2. Though it might be strange to contemplate wool in May, wool days at Advertisement 3. If you long to pry your children from screens in favor of some real, live culture, bear in mind that both the free admission on Memorial Day . Advertisement 4. Elsewhere in the artistic orbit, the kid-friendly ' ' runs at Harvard Square's Comedy Studio on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. A humorous take on the treacherous world of Dungeons & Dragons, the show is just $7 for gamers under 18. Audience participation is a possibility. 5. To take the sting out of any potential boredom, consider attending an at the Somerville Community Growing Center Saturday at 2 p.m. This kid-friendly STEM event combines opera with apiary activities: Learn about harvesting nectar and make bee-themed crafts, all while listening to Opera on Tap Boston croon tunes about the beauty of the natural world. 6. If screens are more your speed, fear not: Just weave some nostalgia into the mix with a 50th-anniversary screening of 'Jaws' to kick off summer. 7. Last but definitely not least: It's finally patio season . Family-friendly patios abound. In Newton, Advertisement 🧩 3 Down: POINTS OF INTEREST A rare spring nor'easter struck Boston on Thursday. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Boston Track record: There have been Crowded field: Nine candidates vying to Nor'easter: Heavy rains and high winds Online threats: After a loss, Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks said he received social media 'threats against my wife' and comments Massachusetts and New England Karen Read: A judge Home rule: Local officials, not state lawmakers, would get to Senate passed yesterday. House leaders are resisting the change. 'It is over': Everett's mayor has refused to return $180,000 in city funds he gave to himself as inflated bonuses. The city council plans to Wicked problem: Massachusetts utility bills are rising. Here's why Regional representation: Three of the four teams competing in this weekend's Division 3 women's lacrosse championship — Tufts, Middlebury, and Colby — Trump administration Trump's agenda: The massive tax bill the House passed yesterday would shift billions in spending Mixed review: The Supreme Court's conservative majority said Trump likely has the power to fire Democratic appointees to independent federal agencies but suggested he couldn't remove the Federal Reserve chair. ( RFK Jr.: 100 days into his tenure, Trump's health secretary's promises to disrupt the drug and food industries have also Legal fights: A judge temporarily blocked the administration from arresting, moving, or terminating the legal statuses of international students nationwide. ( The Nation Religious schools case: The Supreme Court deadlocked over whether Oklahoma can give public money to a religious public charter school, blocking the effort for now. ( Diddy trial: The rapper Kid Cudi, who dated Diddy's former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, accused Diddy of breaking into his home and testified that someone threw a Molotov cocktail into his car after Diddy allegedly threatened to blow it up. ( Plane crash: A private plane crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, killing at least 3 people and injuring 8 others. ( VIEWPOINTS Is a City Hall lovers' spat a political problem for Mayor Michelle Wu? Yes. The firing of two city employees who No. Even an ugly quarrel doesn't make for a mayoral management crisis, and attempts by Wu's rivals to drag one of her top aides into it BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 🦈 You're going to need a bigger island: The 50th anniversary of the release of the blockbuster movie 'Jaws' is next month, and Martha's Vineyard, where it was filmed, has 📺 Streaming this weekend: 🥋 Wax on: The second major 'Karate Kid' spinoff of the year arrives May 30, and Ralph Maccio talks about ¢ A nickel for your thoughts: The Treasury is finally phasing out production of the penny, as Trump ordered. ( Advertisement ⏰ Welcome to ' ': It's the dreaded month, Kara Baskin writes, in which parents 👄 Look into my teeth: Eyes may be the window to your soul, but your mouth gives dental hygienists a peek into your health, such as how you sleep, if you smoke, and even what you eat. ( 🦎 Fin to limb: The discovery in Australia of the oldest known fossil footprints of a reptile-like creature suggests that the first animals to slither out of the ocean were able to walk and live on land a lot sooner than anyone thought. ( 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. Kara Baskin can be reached at
Boston Globe
28-04-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Federal funds were the lifeblood of US scientific discovery. Where will the money come from now?
Advertisement Budget cuts from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and other federal agencies have prompted pushback from the academic community but also some sober reflections on the future of the nation's government-centered model for bankrolling biomedical research. That model has fueled breakthroughs, from magnetic resonance imaging and targeted cancer therapies, to mapping the human genome to the vaccines that helped vanquish the COVID pandemic. Universities' reliance on federal funds has left them vulnerable to cutbacks by President Trump and other elected officials who accuse them of pursuing initiatives they object to, such as diversity and LGBTQ health issues. Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it would Advertisement Harvard's teaching hospitals in Boston were among the nation's largest recipients of NIH grants last year, with Massachusetts General Hospital drawing more than $655 million and Brigham and Women's Hospital more than $388 million. While waiting for the courts to weigh in, labs are reassessing their funding sources. In addition to federal grants, their research is often supported by grants from foundations and other funders. But lab directors see such funding as secondary. One scientist at Harvard Medical School described money from the Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest private donors, as 'sprinkles' on top of an 'ice cream sundae' made up largely of public funding. A pedestrian passed Harvard Medical School in Boston on April 17. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Researchers across New England and nationally are searching for ways to maintain or diversify their funding sources as the White House continues to target universities and research programs. 'There's not many private institutions that fund that kind of research,' Borodovsky said, noting there's little economic incentive to conduct public health research. 'Really, the only institution that would fund my kind of work is the government because they have a public health mandate.' Advertisement Harvard Business School Executive Fellow Bill George, the former chief executive of medical device giant Medtronic, said biopharma companies, private equity investors, wealthy philanthropists, and even Massachusetts' state government may have to set up new funding pools to back early-stage research as the federal agencies back off. 'Private investors can and should step up' to protect the research enterprise, he said. But, he said, many are reluctant to put money into research that takes more than a decade to commercialize. The system that's bankrolled US research since World War II has attracted not only American innovators but international students, researchers, and scientists whose own countries devote fewer resources to cutting-edge science. Under this system, launched by President Franklin Roosevelt's science advisor Vannevar Bush, universities receive billions of federal dollars to conduct what Bush called 'basic research' in areas such as energy, defense, and medicine. They then license their discoveries to companies that develop therapies, medical technology, and other commercial products. The system grew out of an urgency to develop advanced weapons during World War II and the Cold War that followed. It's since evolved into the leading peacetime generator of biomedical innovation. While this US system is often described as the gold standard of research, it's also been criticized for what computational biologist C. Brandon Ogbunu terms 'empire science' — a bias toward high-profile initiatives such as the Human Genome Project. As more money flows to the big programs, less remains for small-scale exploratory ventures that could have a big payoff in areas such as rare genetic disorders. Advertisement Dependence on government largesse has made US universities uniquely vulnerable to the Trump administration's cuts and threats, said Ogbunu, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale University in Connecticut. He said a new generation of researchers may have to pursue science in a 'harm reduction mode,' making do with less government funding and fewer resources but sharing more data and decentralizing research tasks. He cited ventures in Switzerland and other countries that are already rethinking research practices along these lines. 'Too much of American research in higher education is fused to large and regular funding from NIH,' Ogbunu said. 'What's happening now is disruptive and destructive. But at moments like this, we can reflect on a system that's deeply flawed. What we build in the future can't look like what we had.' Few think a return to the pre-World War II era, when research was funded and conducted by private nonprofits such as the Rockefeller Foundation and industry research groups like Bell Labs, is viable. While biopharma companies invest in research and development today, much of their money is directed toward late-stage drug candidates and other projects that can be quickly commercialized for profit, not basic research. 'It's very hard to imagine our research structure as it stands today surviving serious NIH cuts,' Ogbunu said. 'With less funding, labs will shrink.' The sheer scale of funding from NIH and other US agencies dwarfs that of other countries, according to J. Stephen Morrison, senior vice president and director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. According to a Advertisement 'We've got these massive [US] university structures, major research universities that are bound at the hip with NIH,' said Morrison. Demonstrators protested funding cuts outside the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., on March 8. MICHAEL MATHES/AFP via Getty Images And the reach of the US system has long extended well beyond America's borders, he said, with international clinical trials and research institutes receiving US funding. Foundations may be able to step in more now, Morrison said, and there could be a bigger role for European nations or Canada. Yet 'there's no quick and easy replacement' for US government funding, he said. In recent years, China has dramatically increased its research spending, as biotechnology has become a top strategic goal, Morrison said. The Chinese model is highly centralized, with a national security focus and a civil-military fusion that frowns on global partnerships. 'It makes it increasingly difficult for non-Chinese scholars to operate in those environments,' he said. While the funding model in the European Union draws from government funding, he said it is characterized by lower levels of investment, shorter timelines for research projects, and a greater degree of bureaucracy. Still, given the current turbulence in US research, he expects Europe to successfully recruit more international scientists. American labs, meanwhile, may have to adjust to the shocks and instability that's become their new reality in the Trump era. Advertisement Some of her research looks at the most effective doses of generic opioid medications. Without federal funding, she said, 'it's hard to imagine that we would be able to complete it.' Such a project would be an unlikely candidate for industry funding, Beaudoin said, since the medications are already available. But the research findings, she said, could help millions of Americans suffering from opioid addiction. 'What I think is so important about the medical research that the government funds is that it is driven by the health priorities of the American people,' she said. 'I don't ever see a place where private entities are driving all of the medical research and innovation. I don't think we would want that either.' Amanda Gokee can be reached at
Boston Globe
19-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Boston Chamber teams up with BPS to allow business leaders to shadow school principals
Advertisement Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce passes the alma mater statue while touring Boston Latin School, his alma mater. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff From left to right: Jason Gallagher, head of school at Boston Latin School, Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Katherine Craven, chief administrative and financial officer at Babson College, talk in the auditorium at Boston Latin School. Rooney and Craven were shadowing Gallagher as part of the Principal Partners program; all three are Boston Latin alum. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Ever since Rooney started in his role as chamber chief executive a decade ago, he's been trying to better integrate the business community and Boston Public Schools. Some companies, such as Natixis and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, already had specific school partnerships established. But Rooney found it hard to make much traction for a broader chamber effort with previous school superintendents. Then came Skipper, a well regarded Somerville school administrator who was tapped by Mayor Michelle Wu in 2022 to lead BPS. Skipper and Rooney already knew each other; they actually live on the same street in Dorchester. So they hit it off quite easily. Among the fruits of those discussions: an agreement to help develop a financial literacy curriculum, to be rolled out this fall, and the Principal Partners shadowing event, reviving a concept similar to the 'Principal for a Day' program last tried in 2018. Advertisement Boston Public Schools superintendent Mary Skipper, right, talks with seventh-grader Iker Monrroy, during his earth/space science class at Boston Latin School. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff On Thursday, the business leaders shadowed principals throughout the morning, then came together at Bank of America's offices on Federal Street to debrief. Rooney, Skipper, and Wu all spoke, as did B of A executive Miceal Chamberlain. Rooney said the shadowing program will build a stronger connection between the business community and the city's schools. That in turn can help teachers keep pace with the city's ever-changing workforce needs, Rooney said, and send a good message to the kids when 'big branded Boston companies' are volunteering on their behalf. Plus, some of his members can provide expertise in developing the school system's new financial literacy program. 'Historically, the school department has been hard to help,' Rooney said. 'In the past, they defined 'partnership' as 'write me a check.' [Businesses] will do that as a matter of goodwill. But I wanted to do something deeper than that.' Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, talks with seventh-grader Amani Sabir while touring Boston Latin School, his alma mater. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston's business scene. Jon Chesto can be reached at
