By kYLE CHENEY BOSTON - In addition to rethinking the way energy contracts are awarded to utility companies, a bill being crafted by the Massachusetts Senate to tackle surging energy costs may include an update on the way utilities are regulated and a fresh look at whether the rules that govern energy efficiency are effective, according to the Senate’s point-man on the legislation. “We’re looking at oversight of utilities, and especially the oversight of what the utilities have been tasked with under the Green Communities Act,” said Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, referring to Continue reading >>>

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Attorney General Martha Coakley renewed her call this week for revisions to the state’s Green Communities Act, a position that has put her at odds with many in the environmental community but in sync with some of the state’s top business executives. Coakley first suggested tweaking the Green Communities Act in testimony before a legislative committee back in November. She warned that the cost of implementing the law over the next four years will be $4 billion, resulting in a 7 percent increase in electricity rates. The attorney general says she wants to reduce those Continue reading >>>

More than 250 eighth graders including Ryan DiGregorio of Norton met Saturday, Jan. 14, for a second annual day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and as part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s Project 351.

The governor again hosted the Youth Town Meeting before the students reported to service sites across Boston including Cradles to Crayons, the Greater Boston Food Bank, the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Towers. The program concluded at the State House.

  More than 60 Watertown residents discussed ways they could help get Democrat Elizabeth Warren elected U.S. Senator Tuesday night. The Watertown for Elizabeth Warren for Senate group gathered at the Watertown Free Public Library with a Warren field coordinator to talk about creating phone trees, writing letters to media outlets and starting a social media campaign to support Warren. Co-organizer Richard Marcus was pleased by the turnout. “I am very excited,” Marcus said. “I spoke to a Brookline organizer and they had 80 people at their event. We had 60 tonight and I think that’s a great Continue reading >>>

January 19, 2012 Blues heat up Haverhill The Eagle Tribune Thu Jan 19, 2012, 03:25 AM EST Award-winning duo Paul Rishell and Annie Raines performs an eclectic, high-energy set of acoustic and electric originals and classic blues songs Saturday, Jan. 21, at the New Moon Coffeehouse, 16 Ashland St., Haverhill. The performance starts at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $20 at the door. Bluesman Paul Prue opens the evening, with his foot stompin' tunes. Then country blues guitar wizard Paul Rishell and ace harmonica player Annie Raines will take the stage. The two have Continue reading >>>

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The average Comcast customer’s cable bill will increase by 2.9 percent in February, but Comcast spokeswoman Doreen Vigue said most customers won’t actually see that increase reflected in their bill. "These adjustments will not impact the vast majority of our customers because they currently receive services as part of a promotional offer,” Vigue said in a statement. She said the overall increase is due to “the impact of higher programming costs and increased operating expenses.”  “In just the last year alone we’ve added several channels and launched new interactive applications Continue reading >>>

By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent While food trucks serve up breakfast, lunch, and dinner to hungry office workers and foodies, some vendors say the city of Boston needs to make some changes to help the mobile gourmets thrive. In an open letter to the city of Boston, Adam Gendreau, co-owner and co-operator of the Staff Meal food truck, wrote that while the city has worked hard to get its food truck initiative off the ground, it needs to retool its food truck system and add more locations in busy neighborhoods to ensure businesses cover enough profitable areas and times. “I fear that if Continue reading >>>