😤📲 MBTA riders are tapped IN

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🏃 Want the glory of a Boston Marathon finish … but can’t quite stomach 26.2 miles? We get it. Lucky for you, registration for the B.A.A. 5k (3.1 miles) opens at 10 a.m. It fills up really quick, so if you’re interested, act fast! Sign up here.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• A snowy morning commute

• Mayor Michelle Wu’s call from Congress

• Dinner with Karen Read

Up first…

GOOD NEWS

Couples, Cinderella stories, and a celebrity pizza pan man

This time of year can be a bit of a bummer. But it’s like we always say: There’s nothing that cures the winter blues like a heaping dose of good news. Or … something like that. 

Here are the feel-good stories you might’ve missed this month:

📲 MBTA riders are tapped IN. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost six months since the MBTA first introduced its tap-to-pay system, but it’s not hard to see why it’s been a hit. In January, the agency celebrated 10 million taps on its new system. As of December, 16% of all fares paid were tapped. And the upgrades will keep on coming. We can expect a new CharlieCard pilot program in the spring.

⚽ The University of Vermont men’s soccer team pulled off an epic Cinderella story. Ranked No. 17 heading into this year’s NCAA tournament, the UVM Catamounts weren’t expected to go very far. Spoiler: Not only did they manage a wild series of upsets to win, they did it in the most dramatic fashion possible. Games routinely ended in OT with either last-minute comebacks or penalty kicks, earning them the nickname “Cardiac Cats.” Want a taste? Check out this clip of the tourney-winning goal.

💍 Mass. couples said “I do” … everywhere. See: One couple said their vows moments before plunging into the 40-ish degree Dorchester Bay on New Year’s Day, resulting in the best wedding pics ever. A few days later, seven queer couples got married at The Sinclair as a part of its “Queerly Beloved” event, meant to be both an act of resistance against the anti-LGBTQ+ policies of the Trump administration … and a massive, joyful party.

😃 A Brookline native spreading good news is a viral sensation. Talk about meta good news: Michelle Figueroa started an Instagram account sharing only feel-good stories in 2018 (think: cute animals cuddling, random acts of kindness, and charitable donations). Now, it has 5.5 million followers. Even more meta: The Globe has a story about the account where reporter (and good news skeptic) Patricia Wen gets to the bottom of what it is about good news pages that people love.

🍕 Brockton is home to “America’s first and only celebrity pizza pan salesman.” A.k.a. Bobby Owens, the fourth-generation of his family to run Bay State Restaurant Products. During the pandemic, bar-style pizza fans discovered his little supply shop is essentially the sole provider of the pans used to make the South Shore’s most iconic bar pies. Orders (which must be placed over the phone) shot through the roof, and Owens became an unlikely local celeb.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🤔 Congress is calling Boston’s “sanctuary city” status into question. Mayor Michelle Wu has been asked to testify in front of Congress on Boston’s "sanctuary city” jurisdiction. Wu received a letter alleging that Boston’s status amounts to breaking the law in hopes of “shielding removable aliens,” and threatening to withhold federal funding. Three other mayors received similar letters. Wu hasn’t decided how she’ll respond, but doesn’t seem too phased: “D.C. is going to play politics,” she said. “We’re going to stay focused on serving our communities.” 

🗳️ Speaking of Mayor Wu, she has some thoughts about her challenger. On Friday, Josh Kraft, son of Pats owner Robert Kraft, officially filed paperwork to run for mayor after months of speculation. A few days later, Wu shared some comments (and shade) about Kraft for the first time on Boston Public Radio. She said she doesn’t know Kraft well, but seemingly took a slight dig at his silence (so far) on local political issues: “Boston residents expect you … to have clear positions … and very clearly explain how you’re going to get things done.”

🌨️ Your morning commute might be a little snowy. As of Tuesday evening, local meteorologists are projecting some light snow this morning, with estimates coming in at around 1-3 inches for much of Mass., including Boston. Since temps are expected to hit the low 40s, most of the snow should melt by tomorrow, but in the meantime, it could leave us with some slick morning commutes. All that said, stay safe out there, and keep up with the latest weather here. 

💸 Tax season has entered the chat. Your favorite! While we know you’re going to wait until April 14 anyway, we’re here to remind you that Mass. has free options for filing. You can use Direct File for both your state and federal taxes, and Mass Tax Connect for just state taxes. But before you dive in, you’ll need to make sure you qualify and that they support all of your tax needs (you can check both here). If not, there are lots of other free resources that might be helpful.

QUICK QUESTION!

🍺 Emily and Gia need to know: Do you think it’s appropriate to drink a non-alcoholic beer at work? 

ONE LAST THING

Dinner with Karen Read

Got $50? It could land you a dinner date with Karen Read. No, this is not a joke.

On Tuesday, the X account @kreadisinnocent posted a giveaway promising two people (and two plus-ones!) a private dinner with Read and Alan Jackson, her defense attorney. In case you’re living under a rock, Read is charged with murdering her cop boyfriend and is gearing up for a retrial. The deets are understandably under wraps, but we know it'll be on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.

In a video accompanying the post, Jackson describes the dinner as a “nice” and “intimate” way to say thanks to supporters and engage in a dialogue about “what it takes to build a defense like this.” Sounds juicy.

To enter, you have to follow the rules listed here, which includes donating $50 to Read’s defense fund, before Feb. 2. 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🍴 Thanks for reading! What we wouldn’t give to be a fly on that wall.

📲 The results are in: 74% of readers think that cellphones should be banned in Mass. schools. This reader’s take captures what a lot of other readers are feeling: “I don't think kids need to be on social media during the school day, but they'd need to be reachable in case of an emergency...so idk.”

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