It started back in January, when the MBTA, staring down a $160 million hole for the coming year, introduced two plans to cover the deficit through fare increases and service cuts. One leaned more heavily on fares, the other on cuts. With transit ridership in Greater Boston at its highest level since 1946, the public was outraged. The prospect of a 43 percent increase on fares and passes and the elimination of up to half of all bus routes, all ferries, and all night and weekend service on the commuter rail prompted 6,000 people to pack hearings and 6,300 to write to Continue reading >>>

Waltham hosts tax compliance camp A free International Tax Compliance Boot Camp takes place June 26 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bentley College, LaCava 325, 175 Forest St., Waltham. Pre-registration is required by June 25 at noon. The event, which includes complimentary breakfast, lunch and parking, is sponsored by M. Robinson Co. and Eastern Bank. To register, visit MRobinson.com and click on events calendar. Chamber offers information on health care co-op The Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce holds a free informational session on the new Chamber HealthCare Co-op on June 27 from 8:30 Continue reading >>>

Waltham hosts tax compliance camp A free International Tax Compliance Boot Camp takes place June 26 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bentley College, LaCava 325, 175 Forest St., Waltham. Pre-registration is required by June 25 at noon. The event, which includes complimentary breakfast, lunch and parking, is sponsored by M. Robinson Co. and Eastern Bank. To register, visit MRobinson.com and click on events calendar. Chamber offers information on health care co-op The Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce holds a free informational session on the new Chamber HealthCare Co-op on June 27 from 8:30 Continue reading >>>

By Alli Knothe, Zachary T. Sampson and Amanda Cedrone, Globe Correspondents Powerful thunderstorms swept through the state Friday afternoon, bringing the sweltering heat wave to an end with a bang — and plenty of booms. The storms moved into Greater Boston shortly after 5 p.m., said Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton. She said the storms blew through the state at 15 to 20 miles per hour and struck hardest in Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest area. Vallier-Talbot also said the heaviest rain and strongest systems Continue reading >>>

For instance, according to monthly data collected by Northeastern University economics professor Alan Clayton-Matthews, nearly 183,000 people in Massachusetts were working part-time jobs because they couldn’t find full-time work in April, the latest statistics available. In addition, 30,000 had given up looking for work. (Only those who actively seek work are counted as unemployed.)

John “Jack” Buckley is now a member of the Board of Directors of Needham Bank, a regional bank with five branches in greater Boston.

Friday, June 22, 2012, 11:20am   The commercial real estate market in Greater Boston continues to show improvement, according to a new report from Cushman Wakefield in Boston.Mid-year statistics reflect continued improving fundamentals in most markets, the report indicates. Vacancy rates in the second quarter fell in the Financial District and continue to hover near equilibrium in the already tight Back Continue reading >>>

Friday, June 22, 2012, 11:20am   The commercial real estate market in Greater Boston continues to show improvement, according to a new report from Cushman Wakefield in Boston.Mid-year statistics reflect continued improving fundamentals in most markets, the report indicates. Vacancy rates in the second quarter fell in the Financial District and continue to hover near equilibrium in the already tight Back Continue reading >>>

The state's unemployment rate ticked down another tenth of a percentage point last month and Medford kept up with the pace, according to figures released by the state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The May rate is 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in April. The state gained 17,000 jobs over the month. Medford's rate dropped from 5 percent in April to 4.8 percent in May, according to figures released Tuesday by Workforce Development. In the greater Boston area, the trends vary. Boston and Cambridge saw a slight uptick in unemployment. The table below shows the unemployment Continue reading >>>

Somerville kicks off Fourth of July fireworks celebrations in, well, June. If you're looking for other fireworks displays near Somerville, here's a list. Click on the links for more information about each event: Thursday, June 28 Somerville: Trum Field. Live entertainment beginning at 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. (Rain date July 5.)  Saturday, June 30 Wilmington: Town Common. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. "Family Day." Fireworks at 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 3 Andover: High School. Fireworks at dusk. Lynn: Red Rock Park. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Danvers: Plains Park. 5-10 p.m. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Gloucester: The Continue reading >>>