What to do if Steward closes your hospital

Also: Boston project reimagines who is memorialized; Harris raises $1.5M at western Mass. fundraiser [❤️ Donate]( [View in Browser](   July 29, 2024  🌧 Today is mostly cloudy, with a high near 74 and a chance of thunderstorms. Good Morning Boston, It was a gorgeous weekend in Boston, but today, you'll probably want to make sure you've got an umbrella on hand (or a puddle-proof pair of shoes, at least). Let's get to the news: - Closing hospital doors: Steward Health Care's plans to shutter some of its hospitals is officially underway. In a statement released Friday, Steward - the bankrupt, for-profit hospital chain that ran eight hospitals across the state - [announced it would close Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer]( after being unable to find "qualified" buyers. Both facilities are expected to close their doors "on or around Aug. 31." If you're a patient, here's what to know: - What happens next? Steward still has to send a notice of closure to the Department of Public Health, and get a bankruptcy judge to approve a motion to close the hospitals, according to a statement from Gov. Maura Healey's office. The state usually recommends a transition period of 120 days, but Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh [says the state can't force Steward]( to keep the hospitals open past the 30-60 days it predicts will be needed to close the facilities permanently. It's not yet clear what the transition-to-closure process will look like for patients (though many are [simply leaving to seek care elsewhere](. - What should I do if Steward closes my hospital? Now's the time to pick up the phone, and start the referral and medical record transfer process with your health care provider, Healey's office recommends. To help, DPH put together an [interactive dashboard]( showing all the hospitals within 30 minutes of a patient's location and what services they provide. Walsh says the state will also try to boost access to urgent care clinics, so patients like those in Ayer won't be stuck driving long distances during a health emergency. - What's next: U.S. reps Ayanna Pressley and Stephen F. Lynch, Sen. Ed Markey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will host a press conference at Carney Hospital today at 10:30 a.m. to discuss Steward's hospital closure plans. Meanwhile, Steward says it's received credible bids for five of its other local hospitals: Morton Hospital, Saint Elizabeth's, Saint Anne's, Good Samaritan and Holy Family. However, Steward does not own the buildings or land for its hospitals, and the [firms that do]( not yet agreed to the deal. - The MBTA's new Charlie Service Center is open for business as of today. The T hopes the new physical location - which will replace the CharlieCard Store previously located in Downtown Crossing - will help improve riders' experiences on the T and provide in-person payment support. - When to go: The Charlie Service Center offers a number of services, like replacing a damaged or expired CharlieCard, purchasing a new pass, or processing a name change on your Senior CharlieCard, TAP or Blind Access Pass. People who use RIDE services can also visit the center to make cash deposits toward their account. (They'll also offer in-person support for riders who pay reduced fares once[tap-to-pay rolls out later this week.]( - Where to go: If you're looking for the Charlie Service Center above ground, you can find it between Milk Street and Water Street. From underground, the closest stations to the center are State and Downtown Crossing. It will be open from Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mondays are appointment only from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.) - Looking for an Olympics watch party? Drawdown Brewing in Jamaica Plain wants to be "your home for the summer Olympics." Owner Liz Nicol told WBUR's Amy Sokolow the bar will screen games and hold Olympics-themed trivia events throughout the Summer Games. The queer bar is known for highlighting women's sports throughout the year. - What to watch today: Team USA's women's basketball team has [remained undefeated since 1992](. They'll be playing against Japan today at 3 p.m. in pursuit of their eighth straight gold medal, with a stacked roster that includes WNBA stars A'ja Wilson and Brittney Griner. - ICYMI: Massachusetts is showing out at the Olympics this year. [Here are 20 local athletes competing in Paris to watch](. P.S. - If you're like me and can't get enough of the Olympics, dive into the history of Olympic swimming with Todd Balf's book, "Three Kings." It tells the story of three swimmers who met 100 years ago at the 1924 Paris Olympics, overcoming hardships on the way to sporting success. Listen to Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes  [chat with Balf about the book here](. Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters Editor's note: We have a new email address: newsletters@email.wbur.org. Be sure to add us to your contacts - or for Gmail users, move us into your primary folder - so you never miss a newsletter. Reply to this email if you have any questions; we'd love to help. The Rundown [In western Mass., Harris raises about $1.5M at first fundraiser of her presidential campaign]( Supporters gathered inside and out of Pittsfield's Colonial Theatre for Vice President Kamala Harris' first fundraiser since becoming the likely Democratic presidential nominee. [Read more.]( [In western Mass., Harris raises about $1.5M at first fundraiser of her presidential campaign]( Supporters gathered inside and out of Pittsfield's Colonial Theatre for Vice President Kamala Harris' first fundraiser since becoming the likely Democratic presidential nominee. [Read more.]( [To reduce racist bullying, Mass. attorney general steps in with action plan for Southwick schools]( Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced an action plan for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District following complaints of racist bullying, including a mock slave auction on Snapchat in February. The 12-step plan includes reviewing school policies, training students and faculty and more. [Read more.]( [To reduce racist bullying, Mass. attorney general steps in with action plan for Southwick schools]( Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced an action plan for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District following complaints of racist bullying, including a mock slave auction on Snapchat in February. The 12-step plan includes reviewing school policies, training students and faculty and more. [Read more.]( [Boston launches project reimagining who is memorialized]( Monuments in Boston are evolving as the city asks big questions about who is honored and memorialized. A $3 million multi-year grant from the Mellon Foundation is supporting this change, and the contributions of more than 50 artists who are experimenting with monumental ideas that include theater, murals, music, and community conversation. [Read more.]( [Boston launches project reimagining who is memorialized]( Monuments in Boston are evolving as the city asks big questions about who is honored and memorialized. A $3 million multi-year grant from the Mellon Foundation is supporting this change, and the contributions of more than 50 artists who are experimenting with monumental ideas that include theater, murals, music, and community conversation. [Read more.]( [Bostonians are frustrated some city pools remain closed during another stifling summer]( For the second year in a row, lots of Boston's 19 city-run pools are closed for repairs or upgrades. And this summer's excessive heat has left families living by the six shuttered city pools scrambling in search of other places to cool off. [Read more.]( [Bostonians are frustrated some city pools remain closed during another stifling summer]( For the second year in a row, lots of Boston's 19 city-run pools are closed for repairs or upgrades. And this summer's excessive heat has left families living by the six shuttered city pools scrambling in search of other places to cool off. [Read more.]( [Norfolk says migrant students can enroll in town's schools, despite earlier statement]( Town officials in Norfolk say they will welcome migrant children into district schools after a statement issued earlier in the week set off concern among some advocates. [Read more.]( [Norfolk says migrant students can enroll in town's schools, despite earlier statement]( Town officials in Norfolk say they will welcome migrant children into district schools after a statement issued earlier in the week set off concern among some advocates. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Tonight at CitySpace: Boston's theater scene is buzzing for [Kristen Chenoweth]( and ["The Queen of Versailles".]( If you're interested in learning more about the titular "Queen" Jackie Siegel and her pursuit of the biggest home in America, [join us tonight at 7 p.m.]( for a conversation with documentarian Laura Greenfield and author Lindsay Ferrentino, who both chronicled Siegel's life. - Boar's Head, the producers of popular meats and cheeses found at deli counters around Massachusetts, [is issuing a recall of approximately 200,000 pounds of its deli meat]( due to possible listeria contamination. Click here for a [list of recalled products.]( - To mark the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, WBUR's Sharon Brody sat down with Jonathan Gardner, a cancer survivor and autism advocate from East Bridgewater. Gardner, who has autism, [discussed the obstacles he faced attempting to get a diagnosis for a rare cancer]( and how he's trying to change the medical landscape for adults with disabilities. What We're Reading 📚 - Where have the students gone? New reports lay out causes of Boston's enrollment losses. ([The Boston Globe]( - These mental saboteurs could derail your reporting. Don't let them. ([Poynter]( - NASA's Curiosity Rover Accidentally Discovers Sulfur Crystals on Mars ([Smithsonian Magazine](   Tell Me Something Good [In his Olympic debut, Frederick Richard carried himself with confidence - and carried the US into the team final (The Boston Globe)]( The Stoughton gymnast has officially reached a dream: He is an Olympian. Now, can he medal? We'll find out Monday. [Read more.]( [In his Olympic debut, Frederick Richard carried himself with confidence - and carried the US into the team final (The Boston Globe)]( The Stoughton gymnast has officially reached a dream: He is an Olympian. Now, can he medal? We'll find out Monday. [Read more.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [I didn't know I needed a Boston rat map until now.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.](   [Donate](   # # Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences](.   I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.   Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here](. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR, 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright 2024 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe]( to stop receiving these emails.