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- đââď¸ Gov. Maura Healey takes over
đââď¸ Gov. Maura Healey takes over
Plus: Move cars, get out the way.
It's Thursday, Boston.
đ Attention, local book worms! Read a book by an author from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania by Feb. 28 and youâll be entered to win a $20 gift card to a local independent bookstore. Sign up for the BPLâs winter reading challenge here.
đ Whatâs on tap today:
âVarsity Bluesâ guy is going to prison
A special $18,003 donation
A portrait fit for a pooch
Up firstâŚ
POLITICS
Happy Inauguration Day!
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Image: Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Maura Healey will be sworn in as Massachusetts governor today. Hereâs what you need to know:
The ceremony: Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll will be sworn in as the stateâs 73rd governor and lieutenant governor today at 11:30 a.m. at the Mass. State House.
The significance: Healey is the first woman and openly gay candidate elected to serve in the role. And with Kim Driscoll as her No. 2, theyâll be the nationâs first all-female Governor and Lieutenant Governor duo.
How to watch: The morning events, including the swearing in of the governor and lieutenant governor and their inaugural speeches, will be shown on WBZ-TV. There will also be a livestream on the State House website.
The after party: Both Healey and Driscoll have basketball in their blood: Healey played professionally in Austria and co-captained Harvardâs squad, and Driscoll played at Salem State University. So hosting the post-inaugural festivities at TD Garden was a no-brainer. Her transition team has dubbed the basketball-themed event âMoving the Ball Forward.â
The headliner: Six-time Grammy Award-winning artist Brandi Carlile will headline the event, and Healey is a big Carlile fan.
âBrandiâs music spans genres and explores themes of womenâs empowerment, LGBTQ+ history, and the joy of community. I canât think of a more perfect musician to bring us together for this celebration,â Healey said in a statement.
Other notable performances: Boston-born rapper Oompa, The Boston Gay Menâs Chorus, Lynn native DJ Frenchy, Springfield High School of Science and Technologyâs SciTech Band, the disability rights dance group Abilities Dance Boston, and others will be making an appearance at the Garden.
You can still get tickets to the celebration tonight at TD Garden for $25 here. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the event starting at 6 p.m.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines
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Image: Jessica Rinaldi/ Globe Staff
đ The mastermind of the âVarsity Bluesâ college admission scam is going to prison. Rick Singer was sentenced to three and a half years in a U.S. District Court in Boston yesterday. He was also ordered to pay $10 million in restitution to the IRS. Singer is infamously known for helping his wealthy clients get their children admitted to elite schools by cheating on admission tests or posing as fake athletic recruits (think Lori Loughlinâs kids). Prosecutors thought Singer deserved a tougher sentence than the others convicted, saying that âwithout him this massive, historic national scheme would never have happened.â
đ´ Outgoing Gov. Baker signs new law protecting non-motorists. This means drivers are now required to give âvulnerable users'' at least four feet of space when passing them on the road. âVulnerable usersâ used to be just cyclists, but the new law covers pedestrians, skateboarders, and even horse-drawn carriages. It also gives drivers permission to cross the center lane to give everyone the required space. Will police enforce the passing part of the law? Probably not. But it will be taught in driverâs ed, so future drivers can keep it in mind.
đ Robert Kraft made a generous (and specific) donation to Damar Hamlinâs fundraiser. $18,003 to be exact. And it isnât random. No. 18 signifies life in the Jewish faith and No. 3 is Hamlinâs number with the Bills. Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday nightâs game against the Cincinnati Bengals, remains in critical condition. His fundraiser, originally meant to be a holiday toy drive, has raised more than $6 million in donations.
THINGS TO DO
Date night ideas
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Gif: Big Air Trampoline Park via Giphy
đ¤¸ââď¸ Get some air at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Everett. Tickets start at $20 for 60 minutes of tramp time. Sky Zone socks are required to jump and cost $4.
đŽ Be a cheap date at Bodega Canal with their $35 for two date night deal, a three-course meal featuring Mexican-style street fare. Every Wednesday. Book your res here.
đ Play a round of ping pong at the Cheeky Monkey in Fenway, followed by a pint of beer brewed on site (and snacks).
đż Cozy up with your cutie at APRĂS at Deck 12 in the Seaport. Their ski-themed heated rooftop is equipped with shareable fondues and stunning city views. Book your res here.
đ˛ Game while you grab a bite at Tavern of Tales, a cafe and board game bar. You can reserve a game experience in one of their private rooms, or play from their selection of free-to-play games.
ONE LAST THING
A portrait fit for a pooch
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Image: David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
A portrait of Spencer, the official dog of the 126th Boston Marathon, was unveiled at the Copley Plaza Hotel yesterday.
The golden retriever known for holding flags in his mouth while supporting runners along the marathon route in Ashland was recently diagnosed with untreatable liver cancer. He received an honorary medal from the Boston Athletic Association and a frame from Copley Plaza Hotel naming him the honorary canine ambassador.
His owners say he may not make it to this yearâs marathon, but that his legacy will live on.
𤍠Thanks for reading! Ever feel like restaurants these days are too ⌠loud? If you like to be able to hear your thoughts while you eat, the Globe put together a list of quiet food spots in the city. Your eardrums will thank me later.
đ Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].