Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

LightNews

Justin

@justinevans.bsky.social

720 followers 1.7K following 68 posts

Dedicated public servant. Engineer for the DPU, Select Board for the Town of Whitman. Twitter / X @justin_evans

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 1d

This is 6 years in the making for me, and along with Municipal Aggregation and the Community Preservation Act was one of 3 specific policy suggestions I proposed as a candidate for Select Board in 2019. Good government takes time

South Shore News @southshore.news · 1d

Whitman Considers Smart Growth Housing District to Unlock State Incentive Payments #mapoli #southshore

Whitman Considers Smart Growth Housing District to Unlock State Incentive Payments

Town discusses pension burden with County Treasurer O'Brien

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 2d

Globe with more details that makes it even worse

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/12/m...

Everett 13-year-old arrested by ICE and sent to Virginia detention facility - The Boston Globe

The boy’s mother, Josiele Berto, was called to pick her son up from the Everett Police Department on Thursday, the day he was arrested.

www.bostonglobe.com

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 3d

Historically, it’s not usually the good guys detaining middle schoolers against the order of a judge

Boston judge orders release of 13-year-old from ICE custody

The federal court ruled the boy must be freed unless immigration officials can justify detaining a juvenile with adult detainees at the Burlington facility.

www.masslive.com

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · 4d

South Shore News...letter: The 'Polished Turd': South Shore Towns Navigate Unwanted State Mandates #mapoli #southshore

South Shore News...letter: The 'Polished Turd': South Shore Towns Navigate Unwanted State Mandates

When Control Isn't Local: MBTA Zoning, Battery Storage, and Municipal Resistance

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 6d

The Massachusetts Municipal Association publishing its “perfect storm” report (www.mma.org/resources/a-...) is the perfect time for me to reshare my “perfect storm” blog post from earlier this year (votejustinevans.com/blog/2025/3/...)

Big fan MMA!

The Perfect Storm: Rising Costs and Revenue Caps Cripple Town Budgets — Justin Evans - Whitman Selectman

Towns all over the state are facing structural budget deficits and asking the taxpayers to raise their own taxes. Across the South Shore alone Duxbury sought a $5.8 million override, Halifax is seekin...

votejustinevans.com

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 11d

The status of Kratom in MA is currently defined by a policy vacuum at the state level, forcing Boards of Health to create a patchwork of regulations. This presents immediate challenges, as bans enacted nearby threaten to displace sales and public health risks into neighboring, unregulated towns

South Shore News @southshore.news · 11d

Kratom Debate Puts Boards of Health on the Front Lines as State Action Stalls #mapoli #southshore

Kratom Debate Puts Boards of Health on the Front Lines as State Action Stalls

Listen now | BOSTON/SOUTH SHORE — The legal status of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) in Massachusetts is currently defined by a profound policy vacuum at the state level, forcing local Boards of Health across the Commonwealth to create an inconsistent patchwork of regulations.

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 12d

Here’s what happened in Whitman in September

votejustinevans.com/blog/2025/10/3/september-whitman-updates

September Whitman Updates — Justin Evans - Whitman Selectman

Whitman Community Electricity Program Launches Whitman officially launched its Community Electricity program in October with rates locked in through December 2029. The program offers two options: Whi...

votejustinevans.com

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 13d

Oh boy, fully automated AI creeping in on my semi automated AI space @southshore.news

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 18d

The races are non partisan, so it isn’t always clear or publicly available.

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · 18d

Happy with how this one came out, trying something different

South Shore News @southshore.news · 18d

Addressing the South Shore's Housing Crisis: A Path Forward for Our Communities #mapoli #southshore

Addressing the South Shore's Housing Crisis: A Path Forward for Our Communities

Massachusetts is grappling with a housing crisis that has been decades in the making, and the South Shore is feeling the impact.

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · 18d

South Shore News...letter: Plymouth and Hanover Select Board drama, and Region Grapples with Budget Pressures #mapoli #southshore

South Shore News...letter: Plymouth and Hanover Select Board drama, and Region Grapples with Budget Pressures

Plymouth reorganizes the Select Board amid turmoil, while Hanover Select Board member refuses to resign: Here's what happened

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · 25d

South Shore News...letter: Budget Deficits and Volunteer Exodus Test South Shore Towns #mapoli #southshore

South Shore News...letter: Budget Deficits and Volunteer Exodus Test South Shore Towns

From Rockland's fire station victory to Whitman-Hanson's budget crisis: Here's what happened.

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · 29d

Rodrigues and Derenoncourt advance in Brockton Mayoral race
#mapoli #brockton

brocktonnews.substack.com/p/brockton-p...

Brockton Preliminary Election Narrows Field for Mayor, City Council, and School Committee Races

BROCKTON - September 16 - Voters in Brockton headed to the polls on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, for the city’s preliminary election, casting ballots to narrow the field of candidates vying for mayora...

brocktonnews.substack.com

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · Sep 13

Rockland Voters Decisively Approve Fire Station and Ladder Truck Projects in Special Election Tiebreaker #mapoli #southshore

Rockland Voters Decisively Approve Fire Station and Ladder Truck Projects in Special Election Tiebreaker

ROCKLAND - September 13 - Rockland residents turned out on Saturday to decisively approve two critical public safety funding proposals, endorsing both a new Fire Department Ladder Truck and a $26.1 million Fire Station Building Project.

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Sep 7

What happened in Whitman in August?

votejustinevans.com/blog/2025/9/...

August Whitman Updates — Justin Evans - Whitman Selectman

Select Board Considers Open Space The Select Board met once in August to discuss the results of Whitman's Recreation and Open Space Survey - the first update to open space and recreation plans in 20 ...

votejustinevans.com

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Aug 31

Oh no Massachusetts flag commission!!!
#mapoli #crackerbarrel

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · Aug 30

South Shore News...letter: Weekly Government Roundup #mapoli #southshore

South Shore News...letter: Weekly Government Roundup

Week of August 18-20, 2025

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Aug 26

I mean, cmon!

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Aug 26

Really disappointed that the joke flags I created and never submitted didn’t make the cut

Universal Hub @universalhub.com · Aug 25

The new state flags are here!
www.universalhub.com/2025/new-sta...
#Massachusetts

Proposed Massachusetts flag showing our official state dinosaur running with a cup o' Dunk's

Reposted by Justin

South Shore News @southshore.news · Aug 13

West Nile Virus Detected in Abington Mosquito Sample #mapoli #southshore

West Nile Virus Detected in Abington Mosquito Sample

ABINGTON - August 13 - A mosquito sample collected from northwest Abington on August 4, 2025, has tested positive for West Nile Virus, local health officials confirm.

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Jul 5

Here’s what happened in Whitman in June #mapoli

votejustinevans.com/blog/2025/7/...

June Whitman Updates — Justin Evans - Whitman Selectman

Special Town Meeting Whitman’s Special Town meeting made a few changes to the Select Board’s proposed cuts to the FY26 operating budget following the failed override, but largely adopted it as recomm...

votejustinevans.com

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Jun 28

follow our podcast #mapoli

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

open.spotify.com/show/2TZauxp...

pca.st/dw2y1o81

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Jun 23

. @grist.org picking up my @southshore.news beat! #trash #waste #mapoli

www.southshore.news/p/pay-as-you...

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Jun 21

This one’s an experiment with Google’s Notebook LM. A podcast summary of Duxbury’s MBTA communities fight

South Shore News @southshore.news · Jun 21

Duxbury's MBTA Communities Fight #mapoli #southshore

Duxbury's MBTA Communities Fight

Two Town Meeting votes, a Supreme Judicial Court ruling, and minimal impact compliance

Justin @justinevans.bsky.social · Jun 8

Here’s what happened in Whitman in May

votejustinevans.com/blog/2025/6/...

May Whitman Updates — Justin Evans - Whitman Selectman

Election results  At the Town Election on May 17 the prop 2 1/2 override failed 1678-677. This results in a rejected town budget, ultimately necessitating the Special Town Meeting June 11. The q...

votejustinevans.com