👀🎤 Gov. Healey has big news ...

Happy Friday, Boston!

🏈 Aspiring WAGs, we have some news: Patriots QB Drake Maye is engaged! Technically, he was never really on the market since he’s been with now-fiancée Ann Michael Hudson since high school. Their engagement pics are so wholesome :’). 

🎂 And happy early birthday to B-Sider Audrey Vogt. You’re the best! Here’s to hoping your b-day wish had nothing to do with Drake Maye’s relationship status.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• The clock’s still ticking on TikTok

• You control Boston’s next budget

• Where to find a boyfriend in Boston

Up first…

POLITICS

Healey’s on the mic

Another State of the Commonwealth has come and gone. A.k.a. Gov. Maura Healey’s annual address where she humble-brags about her achievements and pitches her legislative wishlist to lawmakers and constituents.

Couldn’t watch the full speech? Here are the SparkNotes:

🗳️ Some context: This is Healey’s second SOTC, marking the over-halfway point of her term. In the last week, she dropped two huge plans addressing two top-of-mind issues: Transportation and the emergency shelter system. And to make matters stickier, our fiscal sitch heading into budgeting season isn’t exactly ideal.

✅ Healey bagged some major W’s since last year’s SOTC. Namely, passing a fat housing bill and climate bill, making major progress on the MBTA (shoutout Train Daddy Eng!), expanding universal pre-K access, and making community college free for all.

😮‍💨 But there’s still work to be done ... In 2025, she’ll have to contend with Mass.' ongoing housing crisis, an expensive emergency shelter system that’s reached a boiling point, and an incoming federal administration that isn’t expected to play nice. On the Trump front, she kept it vague and cordial. We’ll “take every opportunity to work with the federal government” when it benefits Mass., she said, but we “will not change who we are.” 

Here’s a taste of her 2025 to-do list:

🏘️ Making housing more affordable. One step to that end: Her proposal to eliminate most renter-paid broker fees, which should put a dent in Boston's infamous move-in costs. Another will be the implementation of the Affordable Homes Act and the MBTA Communities Act, which should get “thousands of new homes … in the pipeline.”

🍎 Keeping education standards high in a post-MCAS world. Healey dropped plans to create a Statewide Graduation Requirement Council of teachers, colleges, students, and employers to recommend a permanent standard for high school graduation eligibility. 

🚇 Fixing our transportation system. Namely, passing her new $8 billion plan, which should help stabilize the MBTA’s financial footing, among other things. Parts of the plan include dipping more into millionaires tax funds and doubling the T’s operating budget.

🤑 Cutting red tape for businesses. She announced she’ll be directing her economic team to look over “all business and licensing regulations” in the first three months of the year in order to make it easier to operate in Mass.

👀 Want more? You can watch the full address here. Globe reporters took a deep dive into the speech here.

QUICK QUESTION!

🤔 How do you think Gov. Healey is doing so far?

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

📲 The clock is still ticking on TikTok. We have some big updates as of Thursday evening: If the ban goes through, TikTok execs are considering going dark, i.e., shutting down the app for all U.S. users as opposed to keeping it live but taking it off app stores. Plus, the Biden admin (you know, the one that banned it) is considering how to keep the app live if the ban proceeds. It’s all still up in the air, but it’s not a bad idea to follow us on IG anyway. 

🙋 YOU get to choose what goes in Boston’s budget. No joke — because the polls for the city’s next participatory budgeting initiative are open. Last summer, everyday Bostonians pitched tons of ideas for how the city should spend $2 million of its budget. Now, residents can vote on which of the 14 finalists will be enacted. Options include publicly accessible fruit trees, installing benches at high-ridership bus stops, rat prevention initiatives, and rental assistance stipends for Bostonians under 24. Any Boston resident can cast one ballot with up to five votes. Vote here!

🚇 Nothing says “happy long weekend” like an MBTA shutdown. Pour one out for Orange Liners who will see service replaced with shuttle buses between Oak Grove and North Station from 8:30 p.m. tonight through Jan. 20. Yes, that’s MLK Day. If you’re taking a longer trip, there should also be “express” shuttle buses making stops at Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station. The kicker: They’re not even fixing the T. The shutdown is related to MassDOT’s major Maffa Way and Mystic Avenue bridge project.

❄️ Boston’s snowy era continues. If you’ve been thinking “this winter seems snowier than last year,” you’re not alone, and you're right. According to the Globe, Boston’s snowfall from Dec. 1 to mid January this winter clocks in at 7.5 inches, 3.5 inches over this time last year. In other snowy news, there might be more on the way: Local meteorologists are keeping their eyes on a system that could turn into some measurable snow come Sunday night. Keep up with the latest here.

THINGS TO DO

Weekend plans

❤️‍🔥 Start building your spicy TBR. Lovestruck Books, Harvard Square’s new romance-only bookstore, is celebrating its grand opening weekend with tarot readings, a friendship bracelet station, and more.

🍻 Kick Dry January to the curb (respectfully). ‘Cause Time Out Market is hosting a free beer fest party on Saturday where you can sample sips from 12 breweries around New England.

💄 Enjoy the three D’s in life. Dinner, drinks, and DRAG. That’s exactly what’s going down at Dorchester Brewing Co.’s drag show on Saturday, hosted by Big Jahnelle and Big Atlas.

🛍️ Shop (small) till you drop. Over 50 small businesses are popping up at the Brighton Winter Bazaar this weekend, featuring a make-your-own cyanotype workshop, cozy bevs, and a DJ duo.

🍿 Use this excuse to go to the movies. We’re not sure who decides these “national” holidays, but we’re not complaining after seeing this list of movie theater popcorn deals celebrating National Popcorn Day on Sunday.

😭 Laugh till you pee for free. King’s Court Comedy is back in action with its free comedy showcase on Sunday, starring a range of up-and-coming comics and those with big shot TV credits. 

🦖 Spend a night at the Museum … of Science! No Sunday scaries here: Hit up the museum after hours at this adults-only night on Sunday.

✊ Celebrate MLK’s legacy on your day off. MLK Day is Monday, and there are tons of happenings honoring the occasion around the city. See: Free admission to the MFA.

ONE LAST THING

Where to find a boyfriend in Boston

Ever wondered where everyone is meeting their SO’s in the city? Boston influencer @narcolepsybetsy figured it out. 

The Southie resident polled 121 of her local followers, asking them exactly where and how they met their bfs. Then she shared the results. 

Unsurprisingly, 58% of respondents met on dating apps, with most coming from Hinge. 18% met at bars, with Pink Flamingo and The Burren mentioned more than once. 

Slightly more surprising (but very Boston) is the one couple who met at a Dunkin’, the two who met at a liquor store, and the one who met at an Irish cultural center. 

You can check out the full video here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

💗 Thanks for reading! If you’re reading this and you met your SO at Dunkin’ … we want to talk.

👋 Programming note: We’re off on Monday for MLK Day, but we’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend!

📲 The results are in: 39% of B-Siders say they use TikTok, and they don’t want the ban to happen. One reader nicely summed up the many of the write-ins we got: “I use TikTok and I don't want the ban to happen, but... less screen time would be a good thing overall, probably, so try to see the silver lining!”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].