The following press release was provided by the Munroe Center for the Arts. The energy, joy and celebration that is Klezmer music will be featured at the next Munroe Saturday Nights presentation, on Saturday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. The Shpilkes Klezmer Band, well known in the greater Boston area for their joyful sounds and their slogan, Don’t Sit Still, will take to the stage at Munroe, presenting an evening of traditional and contemporary Klezmer music. The concert, which will be presented at the Munroe Center for the Arts in Lexington, is part of a Munroe Saturday Nights season that has featured Continue reading >>>

Service cuts on the MBTA will put a major dent in the Boston economy, impede workers from getting to their jobs, stifle real estate development throughout the region, damage important cultural institutions and make sporting events more expensive, according to a report issued by A Better City, formerly known as the Artery Buisness Committee. In a position paper about the two proposed scenarios for service cuts and fare hikes on the MBTA, which have been the subject of raucous public hearings over the past weeks, including one in Somerville, the organization argued "the Massachusetts economy cannot Continue reading >>>

A 750-ton crane barge that Archer Western Contractors brought to the city from the Greater Boston to work on the Memorial Bridge is now undergoing some work itself. The barge, which will be used to remove the Memorial Bridge's 450-ton counterweights and the bridge's lift towers, was moved from the base of the bridge to the Granite State Minerals dock on Tuesday morning. Crews were busy working on the crane barge on Tuesday morning, but NH Department of Transportation and Archer Western Contractors officials have not released any information on what the problem may be with the barge. Carol Morris, Continue reading >>>

A 750-ton barge crane arrived in Portsmouth Harbor late Monday night that will be used to remove the two Memorial Bridge counterweights and the two lift towers over the next several weeks. Archer Western Contractors had originally planned to bring the barge crane up from the Greater Boston area last week, but couldn't do it until this week until the ocean conditions were more favorable. Last week, Jennifer Zorn, a NH DOT public outreach coordinator, said the counterweight on the Portsmouth side of the bridge will be the first one to be removed followed by the second counterweight on the Kittery, Continue reading >>>

BOSTON —  House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Tuesday offered business leaders a preview of sweeping legislation aimed at reining in health care costs. In a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, DeLeo said the goal of the House bill — which has not yet been introduced — would be to bring the annual growth in health care expenses more in line with Massachusetts’ overall economic growth rate of 3.7 percent. Health care costs have been rising at an annual rate of 6.7 percent to 8 percent in recent years, DeLeo said, despite some positive efforts by insurers and providers Continue reading >>>

Payouts for teachers, cops, crossing guards, firefighters and other public employees accused of milking Massachusetts’ jobless-benefits system will total well into the seven-figure range, according to a local official whose plea for reform last week, along with a series of Herald reports, snowballed into a statewide investigation of taxpayer-financed unemployment-insurance abuse. “I think we’re talking millions,” said Lynnfield Town Administrator William Gustus, whose objection to a retired cop’s jobless claim led him and two dozen colleagues across the state to fire off a plea for help Continue reading >>>

Worried about high gas prices? Join the club -- the warehouse club, that is. Rising fuel prices are pumping up gasoline sales at big box chains, including Costco, Sam's Club and Westboro, Mass.-based BJ's, which often offer gas at rock-bottom prices. "Wholesale clubs generally use gasoline as a 'loss leader,' so we often find some of the best prices there," said Patrick DeHaan of market tracker Boston GasPrices.com. Yesterday, the Revere BJ's and Danvers Costco were tied with eight other stations in offering Greater Boston's cheapest Continue reading >>>

House Speaker Robert DeLeo, whose pledge to oppose new taxes and fees this year undermined proposals by Gov. Deval Patrick to balance next year’s state budget, said Tuesday that he would also oppose any efforts to lower taxes, and he predicted that the “vast majority” of his colleagues would agree. “I think we have to be realistic in finances we need in running the state. I would be opposed to any reduction,” DeLeo told reporters after addressing the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce at the Westin Copley Hotel. “There are always amendments to increase taxes. There are some amendments Continue reading >>>

BOSTON (AP) - House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Tuesday offered business leaders a preview of sweeping legislation aimed at reining in health care costs. In a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, DeLeo said the goal of the House bill — which has not yet been introduced — would be to bring the annual growth in health care expenses more in line with Massachusetts' overall economic growth rate of 3.7 percent. Health care costs have been rising at an annual rate of between 6.7 percent and 8 percent in recent years, DeLeo said, despite some positive efforts by both insurers and providers Continue reading >>>

Well, the Red Sox have won back-to-back games for the first time since late August of last year. There’s always that to rejoice over. Unfortunately, Spring Training records don’t amount to too much (last year the Royals and Twins led the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues respectively) and there are more pressing problems, mainly the left wrist of everyone’s favorite left fielder. That’s right, Carl Crawford is going to miss even more time. Bobby Valentine announced today that Crawford would be shut down for at least a week, as he gives his wrist more time to recover. Cue the groans Continue reading >>>