Massachusetts on Friday October 30, 2009

MA: Patrick to end nearly 1,000 jobs
By Matt Viser, The Boston Globe
WORCESTER, Mass. -- Governor Deval Patrick intends to close a projected $600 million budget gap by eliminating nearly 1,000 state jobs, shaving millions from human service programs, reducing help for local school building projects, and possibly closing the State House library, the governor and his aides said yesterday. (Also see: HI: Layoffs will hit 'thousands' if Hawaii furloughs are blocked and MO: Budget cuts to trim 700 state workers
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MA: State snafu stiffs unemployed
By Edward Mason , Boston Herald
Thousands of desperate jobless Bay Staters - at the end of their ropes and unemployment benefits - thought the state had tossed them a lifeline when new checks arrived in the mail, only to learn it was all a big mistake and now they have to give the money back.
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MA: Panel grapples with economic, social questions on casinos
By Stephanie Ebbert, The Boston Globe
The slogans and philosophical arguments spilled forth yesterday during a long, packed hearing of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies:
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MA: State suspends former speaker DiMasi's retirement checks
By Andrea Estes, The Boston Globe
The State Retirement Board suspended pension payments yesterday to former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi while he awaits trial on federal corruption charges.
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MA: Bay State economy slips while nation makes a gain
By Robert Gavin, The Boston Globe
The Massachusetts economy continued to shrink during the third quarter of this year, the result of rising unemployment and weak consumer spending, even as the nation showed growth for the first time in 12 months.
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MA: Massachusetts downturn deepens
By Jay Fitzgerald, Boston Herald
Massachusetts may be mired in a recession through the end of the year, even as the nation's economy tentatively pulls out of the worst downturn in decades, according to reports released yesterday.
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MA: H1N1 shot safe for pregnancies
By Margot Sanger-Katz, Concord Monitor
Despite repeated public health communications urging pregnant women to seek the H1N1 flu vaccine, a small but significant number of pregnant patients are declining to get the new flu shot, local obstetricians say.
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MA: SEA protests cuts to state lead tests
By Shira Schoenberg, Concord Monitor
Though the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority received a $3 million grant for lead abatement, that will not help the state, which does enforcement to determine where abatement is necessary, state workers said.
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MA: Patrick eyes up to 2,000 job cuts
By Dan Ring, The Republican
Gov. Deval L. Patrick on Thursday unveiled a plan to eliminate the state's $600 million budget shortfall with up to 2,000 job cuts and reductions to human services and other agencies.
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US: Some states weigh earlier primaries in 2010 to accommodate Americans abroad
By The Associated Press, The Washington Post
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A new law meant to protect the voting rights of deployed troops and other Americans overseas is forcing at least a dozen states to consider holding their primaries earlier or to negotiate another plan that federal officials will accept.
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Weekly wrap: Rating agency slams Conn. on borrowing
By Stephen C. Fehr, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Agency lowers Conn. credit outlook; federal broadband grants will be delayed a month; and confusion continues on stimulus job claims.
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