Author | Lightnews

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · 2d

New in Contrarian Boston: Top state safety chief toothless tiger when it comes to the calamity-prone MBTA | Another story you saw first in Contrarian Boston | Quick hits | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @emilyrooney.bsky.social #LocalNews
@universalhub.com #mapoli #bospoli #Boston #MBTA

Boston Globe can't stop gushing over Wu | Top state safety chief toothless tiger when it comes to the calamity-prone MBTA | Another story you saw first in Contrarian Boston | Quick hits |

Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

open.substack.com

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Ruth Zakarin @ruthz.bsky.social · 4d

“One in six Massachusetts residents, or about 667,000 households, receive SNAP benefits — including children, the elderly, and residents with disabilities.” - @bostonglobe.com

Can you imagine what the coming weeks will be like for the communities where 1/3 or more of its residents are on SNAP?

Top 10 Boston-area municipalities by share of residents on SNAP
Table: NEENA HAGEN/GLOBE STAFF • Source: American Community.
Survey, Boston Indicators
City
Clients
Share of population
Lawrence
36.4K
41%
Brockton
34.7K
33%
Lowell
31.9K
28%
Lynn
27.8K
28%
Chelsea
9.6K
24%
Randolph
8.1K
23%
Wareham
4.8K
23%
Haverhill
14.7K
22%
Boston
138.5K
21%
Salem
8.4K
19%

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Jonathan Slater @jonathanslater.bsky.social · 5d

It’s just Tulip now .. and she always wanted to rule the roost. Ever since a kitten

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scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · 4d

New in Contrarian Boston: State House bosses face staff revolt | Board of conservative bigwigs pulls plug on right-wing Harvard student magazine | Top Democrats in hiding during Biden's Boston visit | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #LocalNewsMatters #LocalNews #Harvard #Biden #mapoli #bospoli

State House bosses face staff revolt | Board of conservative bigwigs pulls plug on right-wing Harvard student magazine | Top Democrats in hiding during Biden's Boston visit | Quick hits|

Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

open.substack.com

1

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · 4d

New in Contrarian Boston: North Shore sheriff blows thousands of dollars in public money at upscale restaurants from Danvers to Florida | Quick Hits | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan...

#mapoli #Massachusetts #bospoli #boston @universalhub.com #LocalNews

North Shore sheriff blows thousands of dollars in public money at upscale restaurants from Danvers to Florida | Quick Hits |

Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

open.substack.com

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scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · 25d

Some Free Press subscribers dismayed as Bari Weiss sells to Paramount | Unbelievable housing production stats | Wu to headline No Kings! protest | Happy 30th Boston Guardian | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #localnews #NoKings
#mapoli #bospoli

Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

open.substack.com

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Hedwig @hedgoe.bsky.social · 28d

Fuck social media
read books

Beleuchtetes Schaufenster einer Buchhandlung mit einem großen Slogan im Schaufenster auf dem in Großbuchstaben steht
Fuck social media
read books

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scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Oct 3

New in Contrarian Boston: Indicted Suffolk County sheriff burned through tens of thousands in taxpayer cash on everything from pricey restaurants to bras open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #MApoli #massachusetts #bospoli #Boston #bostoncity #SteveTompkins #SuffolkSheriff #localnews

Breaking News: Indicted Suffolk County sheriff burned through tens of thousands in taxpayer cash on everything from pricey restaurants to bras

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Sep 11

New in Contrarian Boston: Emily Rooney on 9/11 | The problem with media people urging Kraft to quit | Mindboggling T still not collecting all fares | School reading crisis | Cannabis greed backfires on towns | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #Localnews #mapoli #bospoli @universalhub.com #cannabis

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Aug 26

New in Contrarian Boston/by Maggie Mulvihill: Nation's highest court to review appeal from thousands of victims of Bay State's drug lab scandal open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... @universalhub.com #mapoli #bospoli #druglab #supremecourt #localnews #localreporting @dankennedy.net

Special Report: Nation's highest court to review appeal from thousands of victims of Bay State's drug lab scandal

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

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scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Aug 21

New in Contrarian Boston: In Ukraine peace proposals, echoes of the 1930s | For lead investor in embattled Boston soccer stadium plan, a Celtics sale bonanza | Raytheon to expand Andover defense factory open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #mapoli #bospoli #localnews @universalhub.com #UkraineWar

In Ukraine peace proposals, echoes of the 1930s | For lead investor in embattled Boston soccer stadium plan, a Celtics sale bonanza | Raytheon to expand Andover defense factory | Quick hits |

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Aug 17

New in Contrarian Boston: Become a News Defender | Celebrity pitchman for sham life insurance gets statue in Trump's heroes garden | Billions failed to boost student scores | Battle rages over Newton's Italian Street | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan... #localnews @universalhub.com #mapoli #bospoli

Become a News Defender | Celebrity pitchman for sham life insurance to get statue in Trump's heroes garden | Billions failed to boost student scores | Battle rages on to save Newton's Italian Street |

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Aug 13

Embattled sheriff netted tens of thousands in campaign contributions from staffers | Emily Rooney on some strange mayoral race ads | Tentative winner in battle for pivotal Mass. Lottery contract |
open.substack.com/pub/scottvan...
#mapoli #massachusetts #bospoli #boston #localnews @universalhub.com

Embattled sheriff netted tens of thousands in campaign contributions from staffers | Emily Rooney on some strange mayoral race ads | Tentative winner in battle for pivotal Mass. Lottery contract |

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

1

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Jul 15

New in Contrarian Boston: T sure knows how to spend money | Emily Rooney on Copley Square's costly and mystifying redesign | Check out Contrarian Boston's energy crisis forum | Quick hits | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan...
@universalhub.com #mapoli #massachusetts #bospoli #boston #localnews

T sure knows how to spend money | Emily Rooney on Copley Square's costly and mystifying redesign | Check out Contrarian Boston's energy crisis forum | Quick hits |

Power independent journalism and reporting.

open.substack.com

scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Jul 14

Will mainstream media swallow up The Free Press? | Emily Rooney on the Copley Square redesign muddle | Fenway tower flop bad news for Wu | Boston rental market gets tougher | open.substack.com/pub/scottvan...
@universalhub.com #mapoli #massachusetts #bospoli #boston #localnewsm#localjournalism

Will mainstream media swallow up The Free Press? | Emily Rooney on the Copley Square redesign muddle | Fenway tower flop bad news for Wu | Boston rental market gets even tougher |

Power independent journalism and reporting.

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Reposted

Mara Dolan @maradolan.bsky.social · Jun 27

1,400 indigent defendants in Massachusetts without lawyers, numbers growing daily as public defender bar advocates refuse new cases over low pay. #mapoli #publicdefender www.masslive.com/news/2025/06...

Mass. lawyer work stoppage leaves nearly 1,400 defendants without counsel

Of the more than 1,300 people who have gone to court in Massachusetts and weren't given a lawyer, 32 of them have been held in jail past the legal limit.

www.masslive.com

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scottvv.bsky.social @scottvv.bsky.social · Jun 27

New in Contrarian Boston: Emily Rooney on Boston's bizarre bike lanes | No Kings demonstrates political savvy | Mass. teachers union and its bulging war chest
open.substack.com/pub/scottvan...
@universalhub.com #localnews #mapoli #massachusetts #bospoli #boston #bikelanes @dankennedy.net #localnews

Emily Rooney on Boston's bizarre bike lanes | No Kings demonstrates political savvy | Mass. teachers union and its bulging political war chest | Wu administration's growing tax scandal |

Contrarian Boston depends upon your support - we can’t do it without you.

open.substack.com

Reposted

Boston Policy Institute @bostonpolicyinst.bsky.social · Jun 23

The agenda for 6/25 @bostoncitycouncil.bsky.social mtg is out & @edflynnforboston.bsky.social Docket #1286 jumps out, citing @bosbizjournal.bsky.social, @scottvv.bsky.social, & @bostonherald.bsky.social articles to ask for info abt charges City Hall is "illegally raising building values." #bospoli

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Dan Kennedy @dankennedy.net · Jun 26

My friend Emily Rooney has written an essay for @scottvv.bsky.social's newsletter, Contrarian Boston, on bike lanes in the city. If you were expecting an anti-bike screed, you'll be surprised. Who could disagree with this? scottvanvoorhis.substack.com/p/emily-roon...