Governor Maura Healey today announced a series of summer fare promotions and discounts on the MBTA Commuter Rail to lower costs for riders, support regular commuters and encourage more people to choose public transportation as Massachusetts prepares for a busy season of major events across the state. The following fare promotions will be available through June, July and August 2026:  

Free Summer Fridays

All Commuter Rail service will be free on Fridays in June, July, and August 2026, including Juneteenth and July 3. Regular fares will be in place for Boston Stadium Trains, the CapeFLYER, and any other special event trains to Foxboro. 

50% Discount on Monthly Commuter Rail Passes

Calendar month Commuter Rail passes for June, July, and August 2026 will be discounted by 50%. This discount applies to full fare and reduced fare monthly passes for Zones 1 through 10, Interzone 1 through 10, and Commuter Ferry passes. This discount will not apply to Zone 1A passes. All non-calendar month Commuter Rail products (for example, single-ride tickets, 5-Day Flex Passes, and Weekend Passes) will remain at their standard prices. 

Expanded Weekend Travel for Monthly Pass Holders

Monthly Commuter Rail passes will be valid for travel to any zone on weekends. Zone 1 through 10 pass holders may travel through Zone 10, and Interzone pass holders may travel through Interzone 10. This does not apply to Zone 1A passes or ferry service. Regular fares will be in place for Boston Stadium Trains, the CapeFLYER, and any other special event trains to Foxboro. 

$1 Weekend “Summer Companion” Fare for Commuter Rail Monthly Pass Holders

Monthly pass holders may bring one companion on any weekend Commuter Rail trip covered by their pass for $1 each way. This offer is limited to one companion per pass holder. Regular fares will remain in place for Boston Stadium trains, the CapeFLYER, and other special event trains to Foxboro.  

To support increased ridership during the FIFA World Cup, the MBTA will temporarily adjust Commuter Rail schedules in June and July, including expanded service to accommodate up to 20,000 passengers on 14 trains per match day to Boston Stadium. 

The MBTA recognizes these temporary schedule changes may affect regular riders. These fare discounts are intended to offset those impacts, support regular riders, and encourage more people to choose transit during a busy summer season and beyond.

The MBTA today announced service changes in April on the Red, Green, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Lowell, Newburyport/Rockport, New Bedford/Fall River, Greenbush, and Kingston Commuter Rail lines.  

Riders can find more information on service changes through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/PlannedWork. Transit Ambassadors and MBTA staff will be available on-site to offer information and assistance during these service changes. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on X @MBTA, @MBTA_CR, and @MBTA_CR_Alerts for up-to-date service information.   

With tax filing season underway and the deadline a month away, you may be interested in these additional resources on tax credits and filing assistance, primarily through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program.

National Grid will continue hosting a series of statewide Customer Assistance events in March 2026, including a new pilot program to support seniors with energy affordability options.  The statewide series of events is part of the utility’s commitment to help customers manage their energy bills, particularly helpful in the wake of the extreme cold of January 2026 and the February 2026 blizzard, events which led to increased energy usage by customers.

National Grid’s customer service experts are available to help customers manage seasonal energy bills and explore cost-saving programs to meet each household’s needs, including how to:

• Enroll in National Grid’s new Payment Assistance Bundle;
• Sign up for Budget Billing;
• Register for the Energy Discount Rate (for qualifying customers); and
• Schedule a home energy assessment and share information on other energy efficiency opportunities for homes or businesses.

The 33 events in March 2026 are free and are a core part of National Grid’s broader commitment to affordability and reliability. Customers can find information about upcoming sessions on our Customer Assistance webpage or learn more about managing winter energy bills at ngrid.com/hereforyou. They can also request assistance by calling 1-800-233-5325. 

March 2026 Customer Assistance Events

Additional Customer Assistance Information

Help with Managing Energy Bills:

National Grid is committed to delivering safe and reliable energy to the customers and communities we serve. We recognize that affordability is a significant concern, and National Grid offers various programs and services to help customers save energy, manage their bills, and access financial assistance. It is not too late to explore programs that help manage energy costs, including signing up for a Payment Assistance Bundle. The bundle combines three helpful solutions to make it easier for managing energy costs and paying down past due amounts over a 12-month period.

• Deferred Payment Agreement: Spread out past-due balance into future monthly payments.
• Automatic Monthly Payments: Automatically deduct payments from your bank account each month and avoid missing due dates.
• Budget Plan: Break down annual energy costs into balanced monthly payments, making it easier to budget and plan expenses.

Customers interested in enrolling in the Payment Assistance Bundle can do so online by visiting ngrid.com/hereforyou, at an in-person event, or by calling 1-800-233-5325.

• Budget Billing: Allows customers to spread their usual payment over twelve balanced monthly payments to help offset the traditionally high winter heating and summer air conditioning peak bills. Doing so makes it easier to anticipate monthly energy costs and plan household budgets. Additional information can be found here. 
• Discount Rates: Income-eligible customers may qualify for a discounted rate on energy service. To be eligible, applicants must be a National Grid customer and already enrolled in an eligible benefit program or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Visit the Discount Rate application to determine eligibility and apply.
• Heat Pump Rate: National Grid introduced a new Residential Heat Pump Rate November 1st to help electric customers save during the winter heating season. Qualified customers who use heat pumps for home heating will receive a reduced delivery rate on electricity from November through April, lowering monthly costs. Customers who think they qualify but did not receive an enrollment confirmation should visit ngrid.com/heatpumprate to fill out the enrollment form to apply and ensure they receive the discount.

Massachusetts RMV Announces Special MA250 Low Number Plate Lottery 

In celebration of 250 years of America’s independence and Massachusetts’ revolutionary legacy.

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is celebrating President’s Day by announcing a special low number lottery featuring the state’s new 250th Anniversary Plate. Residents can apply starting today, February 16, at 9:00 a.m. and have until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026. Further information is available at Mass.Gov/MA250Plate. 

The “Massachusetts 250 Years of Independence” plate is emblematic red, white, and blue and is now the most popular specialty plate in the Commonwealth with more than 57,000 issued in just over seven months.   

The plate features a blue background, with the year "1776" surrounded by 13 stars and the phrase “250 Years of Independence” at the bottom. There are 1000 plates available through the lottery, numbered from 1-999 and including the symbolic 1776. 

“Massachusetts is a state of many firsts, and it is only appropriate that we celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary honoring our shared history with the opportunity to celebrate civic pride with a commemorative low number license plate through a lottery. This is a fun but meaningful and visible tribute to the historic occasion, allowing residents to participate in this once in a lifetime event,” said Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. 

“Since last May, the RMV has offered the patriotic-themed higher number plates (online) as part of the Massachusetts 250 festivities. We are so excited to continue this celebration of American and state history by enabling all qualified Massachusetts residents a chance to win a coveted low number on the popular commemorative plate. The RMV is thrilled to partner with the Massachusetts State Lottery and benefit from their lottery expertise. And thank you to the RMV team for their incredible efforts in planning this event,” shared Registry of Motor Vehicles Registrar Colleen Ogilvie.    

 “This event represents a unique opportunity to combine historical recognition with public engagement in a way that aligns with the Lottery’s mission. A commemorative low lottery plate is likely to generate strong interest from residents across the state while honoring an extraordinary milestone in our state’s history,” said Massachusetts State Lottery Executive Director Mark William Bracken.  

Applications for the special 250th Anniversary Plate low number lottery will be available at myRMV Online Service Center (located under the Plates button) beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026. To be eligible for the low number lottery applicants must apply by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026. Requests for specific plate numbers will not be honored. Plates will be awarded using an electronic random number generator system.  

Applicants should note that there is no fee to apply for the lottery. All specialty plates have a biennial $40.00 special plate fee, along with a registration fee of $60.00. The initial registration fee may vary depending upon the applicant’s current plate expiration date and the expiration date of the winning plate number. 

Customers are encouraged to visit the RMV’s website or follow @MassRMV on X (formerly Twitter) for additional details about the lottery. In addition, lottery plate applicants will be sent a notification from the RMV to the email address they provided with lottery event details. The lottery winners will be announced on May 7, and residents will be able to watch the event online via the RMV website. Following the event, results will be available on the RMV website.  

RMV Low Plate Lottery Rules and Eligibility Requirements  

• A person (known as “applicant”) who applies for the Massachusetts 250 Low Number License Plate Lottery must be a Massachusetts resident with a current active, Massachusetts registered, and insured passenger motor vehicle.  
• As a condition of the application process, applicants consent to their name, zip code, and any other information that is required be released in accordance with the Massachusetts Public Records law. 
• Only one entry per applicant will be accepted, regardless of the number of active passenger motor vehicle registrations the applicant has on file with the RMV.  
• The following are ineligible to participate: 

o   Companies and corporations 

o   Commercial vehicles and motorcycles 

o   Any employee of MassDOT, including but not limited to executive level employees, RMV, Highway, MBTA, Rail and Transit, Aeronautics, all shared services within MassDOT, and contract employees 

o   Any employee of Mass Lottery, including but not limited to executive level employees and contract employees 

o   Immediate family members of any MassDOT employees (as described above) and Mass Lottery. This includes parents, spouses, children, and siblings.  

o   An applicant whose Massachusetts registration is not in an active status (i.e., in a non-renewal, suspended, or revoked status) at the time of entry, at the time of the lottery, or at the time of the plate swap. 

o   An applicant with outstanding violations or obligations reported to the RMV 

• Requests for specific plate numbers will not be honored. Plates will be awarded using an electronic random number generator system. 
• Submission deadline: Online entries will be accepted beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, and must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026. 
• Lottery results, such as winner’s name, place of residence, and winning plate number, will be available on the RMV website (Mass.Gov/RMV) within 5 business days of the lottery event, which will occur in May.        
• All winners will be notified by mail with instructions on how to transfer their current registration to their new lottery plate. Winners will have until Friday, August 28, 2026, to pay for and swap their plates. 
• Unclaimed plates by the deadline are considered forfeited by the initial winners, and those plates will be awarded to the pre-selected alternate winners after Friday, August 28, 2026. 
• Plates will be registered only to the winning applicant specifically named on the application and cannot be transferred to anyone else. 
• All plates remain the property of the RMV, including after registration.  

National Grid has announced that applications are open for the “Charging our Future” scholarship, designed to strengthen the future energy workforce in Massachusetts.  The program will award a total of five scholarships—paired with paid summer internships—to financially eligible Massachusetts resident students pursuing careers in the energy and engineering fields who plan to attend college in either New York or Massachusetts.  The scholarship is also available to an additional five resident students in New York, where National Grid also operates.

Each scholarship will provide $10,000 per academic year to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering. While all engineering students are eligible, priority will be given to electrical engineering and power systems-related coursework. In addition to financial support, scholars will receive a paid summer internship with National Grid.

Eligible applicants must be permanent Massachusetts or New York residents who are high school seniors, high school graduates, or current college students enrolled in or planning to enroll full-time at an accredited four-year New York or Massachusetts college next year. Selection is based on financial need, academic performance, work experience, leadership, and a personal statement outlining career goals in the energy industry.

As the internship takes place within National Grid’s service territory, students attending school or residing outside those areas in New York and Massachusetts must be willing and able to commute. This requirement will be clearly communicated throughout the application process.

Applications are open now and will close on March 31, 2026. Award notifications will be made in early June with a public announcement to follow in August 2026. Complete eligibility requirements, application materials, and deadlines for the Charging our Future Scholarship found here

DCR announces Summer 2026 Lifeguard and Season Staff Recruitment.

MSBA's 17th Annual "My Ideal School" Contest. The primary goal of the "My Ideal School" contest is to promote discussion among students and teachers as to how thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts supports student engagement and 21st century learning. This contest is open to all first-grade students currently attending Massachusetts public schools and contest submissions must be postmarked by May 1, 2026 for consideration.

This year, regional winners will be chosen, each of whom will receive a special prize generously donated by M&T Bank. One lucky grand prize winner will also have their "My Ideal School" contest picture featured on the cover of the MSBA Annual Report. Also, winners will be honored at a special awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on June 10, 2026.

For more information, view the 2026 Contest Invitation and Entry Form.

Winners will be notified through their school's administration.