Some Key Baker Administration Officials Fail To Show At Transportation Hearing Amid RMV Crisis
The Registry of Motor Vehicles has been in hot water since last month, when a 23-year-old truck driver who should have previously lost his license killed seven motorcycle riders in New Hampshire in a fiery crash. Since then, an internal review has revealed more widespread problems at the agency, leading to the suspension of more than 1,600 additional Massachusetts licenses. But a Beacon Hill hearing to get to the bottom of the issue didn’t get far today, as several Baker administration officials failed to show up to testify. Jim Braude was joined by Rep. William Straus, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation.

Boston Poised To Get Its First Pot Shop — In A Community Hit Hard By The War On Drugs
Although Massachusetts voters approved recreational marijuana by ballot vote more than two years ago, the roll out of pot shops across the state has been notoriously slow. Boston has now given community host agreements to five such businesses, one of which — Pure Oasis in Dorchester — recently received a provisional license from the state. If the store opens in the coming months as planned, it would be the first from the state’s so-called ‘economic empowerment’ track, which is meant to ensure that communities of color that were disproportionately targeted by the War On Drugs can fully participate in the now-legal marijuana industry, which still remains largely white. Pure Oasis co-owner Kobie Evans joined Jim Braude to talk about his success thus far — and his frustrations that the program hasn’t yielded bigger results yet.

How An Art Exhibit Almost Caused An Accident On Route 28
A hot air balloon made an unexpected landing Wednesday morning on Route 28 in Andover near the on-ramp to I-93, landing on a small median in the middle of oncoming traffic. The balloon ride took off from the Stevens–Coolidge Place, a museum about six miles away in North Andover as part of a larger exhibit about the landscapes of Massachusetts. But while the plan might have been art installation.. clearly, the reality landed a little closer to a traffic violation. Arts Editor Jared Bowen was on the balloon. He joined Jim Braude to talk about the adventure.

IMHO: Repeal The Tampon Tax
Jim Braude shares his thoughts on a seemingly small tax that takes a large chunk out of women’s bank accounts over time.