Springfield Public Schools, one of Massachusetts’ largest districts, experienced a severe cyber incident at the start of the 2026-27 school year. The attack disabled access to core systems including communications, food-service and medical databases, prompting a four-day closure. The FBI later notified the district that student and staff data had been breached, while the type and scope of information exposed remained under investigation.
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Boston Police Department tested approximately 45 Flock Safety automated license-plate-reader cameras from April 1 through September 4, 2025. The city’s contract required that collected vehicle and plate data be accessible only to trained BPD personnel, but officials said a nationwide lookup setting was enabled by the vendor in error. Boston subsequently ended its use of Flock services, while the disclosure surfaced in the city’s 2025 annual surveillance report released in September 2026.
Holtec Decommissioning International is decommissioning the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts, after the plant stopped generating electricity in May 2019. Holtec sought state permission to discharge up to 1.1 million gallons of treated wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. Massachusetts considers the bay a protected ocean sanctuary, where the Ocean Sanctuaries Act bars discharge of industrial waste.
Boston is developing transportation and parking operations for Boston Legacy FC matches at the renovated White Stadium in Franklin Park. The city proposes a resident parking-protection zone extending 0.75 miles from the stadium entrance for five hours on game days, while directing spectators to transit, free shuttles, remote parking and ride-share pickup areas. White Stadium will remain city-owned and is planned for Boston Public Schools athletics as well as limited Boston Legacy FC use.
The Boston Red Sox opened a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 15, 2026. Boston entered the game at 82-68 and pursuing an American League wild-card berth, while Texas was still in the AL West and wild-card races. The Rangers won 4-2 after scoring all four of their runs in Patrick Sandoval’s second inning.
Ed Sheeran’s remaining U.S. Loop Tour dates were disrupted after Macklemore was removed from the lineup following pro-Palestinian comments during September shows at MetLife Stadium. Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft confirmed Macklemore would not perform at the Foxborough dates, while Sheeran said the removal was the promoter’s decision rather than his own. Four acts subsequently said they would leave the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
Massachusetts voters are scheduled to decide nine statewide ballot questions at the November 3, 2026 state election, the largest number on a state ballot since 1994. Tufts University’s Center for State Policy Analysis, part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, published separate nonpartisan analyses intended to explain the practical effects and trade-offs of each measure. The Secretary of the Commonwealth has also issued its official voter-information booklet in multiple accessible formats and languages.