👀 New governor, who dis?

Happy Friday, Boston!

❄️ Heads up: We could get anywhere from one to three inches of snow today in the Greater Boston area, so take it slow on the roads — they might be a little slick.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• T car quality is going down

• A local pickle scandal

• Human composting

Up first…

POLITICS

Ello, Gov’na Healey!

It’s official. Maura Healey is the 73rd Governor of Massachusetts.

If you couldn’t drop what you were doing to watch her inaugural address yesterday, here’s the TL;DR on what she said and what you should keep your eyes peeled for in the coming weeks:

Healey was optimistic about the state’s future, but recognized the challenges ahead, i.e., our struggling public transit system, the lack of affordable housing, and the climate crisis, to name a few.

“Today is a day to celebrate,” Healey said, “to think about how far we’ve come and where we need to go.”

She made several promises to constituents, including: 

• Building a “climate corridor” to create new clean tech jobs

• Transforming state-owned land into new housing

• Funding 1,000 new MBTA jobs to focus on operations

• Offering free community college to students over 25 without a college degree

• Expanding the child tax credit and tax deductions for renters

• Directing every agency in her admin to conduct a full equity audit

She recognized the significance of being the first woman and openly gay person elected Governor of Mass., but also noted that whether you’re a first-generation college student or a first-time business owner, every one of us can be a “first.”

“We are all trailblazers,” Healey said. “We are all leaders. That’s why we live in Massachusetts.”

So … now what? The real work begins.

Keep an eye on Healey’s first 100 days in office. This is when we’ll get a clearer sense of her management style, priorities, her first budget, and how quickly she acts on these promises.

We’ll also likely have an announcement of who will be named the next General Manager of the MBTA in the coming weeks.

At the very least, I hope she enjoyed Brandi Carlile last night.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🚇 The MBTA is in an ugly dispute with the manufacturer that makes its new trains. The MBTA accused the railcar manufacturer of poor quality management and delaying the introduction of hundreds of new trains. The company is contracted to produce over 400 new Orange Line and Red Line cars for the MBTA, but both projects have been severely delayed (new Orange Line cars due last January are now set for delivery this summer, and new Red Line cars due this September may not be finished until 2025). The MBTA’s complaint came just days before the MBTA had to pull new Orange Line trains from use due to electrical issues.

⚾ Rafael Devers is staying with the Red Sox. And his contract wasn’t cheap. The 26-year-old, two-time All Star agreed to a 11-year, $331 million contract on Wednesday — the richest and longest contract in Red Sox history. But after the departure of seasoned stars like Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez, the Sox will need to invest much more into upgrading their squad — after all, Devers is only one player. However, this jumbo deal is a hopeful sign the Red Sox are willing to put their money where their mouth is to build out a better team.

🥒 A pickle scandal is pitting two local companies against each other. Grillo’s Pickles filed a lawsuit against Wahlburgers claiming they’re falsely advertising their pickles as “all natural,” i.e., sans artificial preservatives. Grillo’s actually tested it in a lab to confirm. So … why does Grillo’s even care? They say Wahlburgers’ misleading label combined with “similar packaging and near identical taste to Grillo’s” has diverted customers and grocery buyers away from buying their pickles. Stay tuned for updates on this important matter.

THINGS TO DO

Weekend plans

🖼 Take a free art walk with SoWa First Friday at Beacon Gallery, Nedret Andre's "The Air We Breathe" Exhibition focusing on the environment. FREE | Fri., January 6, 5 to 8 p.m.

🥦 Play “The Weed Game Show” hosted by comedian Dan Hall. The night kicks off with stand-up comedy, then goes into a game show where (ahem) inebriated contestants compete in three ripped rounds. Tickets are $20. Location given at purchase. | Sat. January 7, 8 to 10:30 p.m.

🏒 Watch local college hockey teams compete at the Frozen Fenway this weekend. Women’s games start at 3 p.m. today. Men’s games start at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow. Women’s tickets are $15. Men’s tickets start at $45 for students and $65 for fans.

👑 Celebrate Three Kings Day with live music, arts and crafts at the Hyde Square Task Force building in Boston’s Latin Quarter. FREE | Sat., January 7, 1 to 3 p.m.

🤸 Brunch and be well at TRILLFIT’s annual New Year’s Brunch & Burn, with workout classes, food, and live music. Tickets start at $20. | Sun. January 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ONE LAST THING

A new way to go

Ever dreamed of becoming dirt when you die? New York just legalized human composting and Massachusetts might be next.

The process formally called natural organic reduction isn’t technically illegal, but it isn’t available to Mass. residents. Human composting is considered a more eco-friendly alternative to a traditional burial or cremation. Plus, you get to become a pickup-truck bed worth of soil.

State Representatives Natalie Higgins and Jack Lewis co-sponsored a bill in 2021 to allow the process, which didn’t pass. But they plan to reintroduce it this year.

✈️ Thanks for reading! JetBlue just launched their ‘big winter sale’ where you can snag flights out of Boston as low as $44. The sale ends Jan. 11. Not an ad, just want you to actually use your PTO this year.

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