Massachusetts | Peter Schulte

Massachusetts becomes first U.S. state to approve phase-out of natural gas as a source for residential heating

Peter Schulte / December 9, 2023

According to Inside Climate News, Massachusetts is the first state to take such a clear step to phase out natural gas, but it likely won’t be the last. At least 11 other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — as well as Washington, D.C. — have ongoing regulatory cases that are exploring the future of natural gas.

Massachusetts becomes fifth state in the U.S. to make prison calls free

Peter Schulte / November 20, 2023

“Ensuring that individuals in state and county prisons can keep in contact with their loved ones is key to enhancing rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, and improving community safety,” Governor Healey said in a written statement.

Harvard University inaugurates Claudine Gay as school’s first Black president

Peter Schulte / October 1, 2023

Gay received her Ph.D. in government from Harvard in 1998 and joined the Harvard faculty in 2006. She previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She is now the President of perhaps the world’s most prestigious university.

U.S.-China collaboration creates the cheapest and fastest way to desalinate seawater yet discovered

Peter Schulte / September 29, 2023

“For the first time, it is possible for water, produced by sunlight, to be even cheaper than tap water,” said Lenan Zhang, a research scientist from the team from MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. “This opens up the possibility for solar desalination to address real-world problems.”

Massachusetts passes a millionaire’s tax

Peter Schulte / August 14, 2023

A new 4% tax on the state’s wealthiest residents will account for $1 billion of the state’s $56 billion fiscal budget for 2024. A portion of those funds will be used to provide all public-school students with free weekday meals.

Massachusetts adopts universal free school meals

Peter Schulte / August 12, 2023

All public school students grades K-12 will be entitled to free lunches regardless of their financial status. It’s estimated to save families about $1,200 a year per student.

First-of-its-kind brain surgery on baby inside the womb has successfully prevented heart failure

Peter Schulte / May 10, 2023

“In our first treated case, we were thrilled to see that the aggressive decline usually seen after birth simply did not appear,” said lead author Professor Darren Orbach of Boston Children’s Hospital.

Boston expands tuition-free community college program to all residents

Peter Schulte / April 4, 2023

Starting this fall, any city resident will be eligible to pursue an associate’s degree or certificate at one of six partnering local institutions without paying to attend.

Moderna’s mRNA RSV vaccine delivers impressive Phase 3 trial results

Peter Schulte / January 26, 2023

For decades researchers have been trying to develop a vaccine for the deadly respiratory disease. It looks like 2023 will be the landmark year where not only one, but possibly three different vaccines are approved.

Claudine Gay to be Harvard’s 1st Black president

Peter Schulte / December 16, 2022

Gay will be the only Black president currently in the Ivy League and the second Black woman ever, following Ruth Simmons, who led Brown University from 2001 to 2012.