Missing your mail?

Also: The results of WBUR's new Mass. voter poll; "major" bloom of cyanobacteria in Charles [❤️ Donate]( [View in Browser](   September 23, 2024  ☁️ Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Good Morning Boston, It's almost un-bull-lievable. There's [another bovine on the loose]( Massachusetts less than a month after  [Moodini, an escaped steer, ]( the news. Now, to the news: - Temp check: Vice President Kamala Harris is strongly supported in Massachusetts among Democrats and independents, [according to a recent WBUR/CommonWealth Beacon poll]( of 800 likely voters. The poll, conducted by The MassINC Polling Group, shows Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz have a 28-point lead in Massachusetts over former president Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance. This may seem unsurprising for a state that's [historically blue]( - but there are some important nuances when we drill into the results. - Weak spot: Harris is not resonating as well with young voters in Massachusetts. Among those under 45, Harris touts a 46%-51% favorable to unfavorable rating (that's compared to 65%-32% for those over 45). [One surveyed 29-year-old]( said she's considering not voting as an act of protest due to Harris' role in the Biden administration's handling of the conflict in Gaza. - On the senate race: Sen. Elizabeth Warren has strong support among voters in her reelection bid, according to the poll. Only 35% of respondents said they'd vote for her Republican competitor John Deaton, a cryptocurrency advocate and attorney. Nearly half of the likely voters surveyed had not even heard of him, according to reporting from WBUR's Walt Wuthmann. - Zoom in: Rich Parr, MassINC polling group's senior research director, told Walt that candidates like Walz and Vance had much higher name recognition than some Massachusetts politicians. "Tip O'Neill used to say all politics is local," Parr said. "I think that's flipped. And recently now, it's all politics is national." - Go deeper: From little overlap in top issues for Republican and Democratic voters, to a deep partisan divide when it comes to trusting November's election results, [here are the rest of the poll findings.]( - Missing mail: If you're a resident of Boston who hasn't been receiving your mail on time, you're not alone. In the last two weeks, residents in Dorchester, Mattapan, [Brighton]( Roxbury and Mission Hill have filed reports of late and undelivered mail from the U.S. Postal Service, including a few missing vote-by-mail ballots. The delays have prompted three Boston city councilors to call for an emergency hearing on the matter. "Knowing where we are in election season, not having a reliable postal system at this specific juncture is critically important," said Sharon Durkan, district counselor for Mission Hill, who's a part of the group requesting the hearing. - In the 2024 Massachusetts state primary, [more than 60% of voters cast their ballot by mail.]( "Unreliable post office service threatens the very foundations of our democracy," Durkan told WBUR's Cici Yongshi Yu. Though some people may be able to get to the polls in-person, some cannot due to disability or other vulnerabilities. "It's particularly important they have access to their fundamental right to participate in democracy," Durkan said. - What's next: The hearing has not yet been scheduled, according to Durkan. "This is a tricky one... because the Postal Service is out of the city's jurisdiction," she said. In the meantime, she's urging constituents to reach out to their councilors if more mail is lost. - Zoom out: U.S. Postal Service delays are a nationwide problem, with some states suggesting [those who do vote-by-mail turn in their ballots early]( to avoid missing the count. - Methuen Mayor Neil Perry, who presided over the city since 2020, died this weekend at the age of 65. Flags outside of Methuen City Hall will be at half-staff today in his honor. - Perry struggled with several illnesses, including kidney disease. The late mayor is credited with restoring confidence in city government after [ousting a corrupt chief of police]( WBUR's Paul Connearney reports. In the next 60 days, the city will hold a special election. Until then, Methuen City Councilor David Beauregard will serve as acting mayor. - Don't love that dirty water: A fall kayak around Boston and Cambridge may sound nice, but you might want to steer clear of the Charles River for a while. [A harmful bloom of cyanobacteria has been detected]( between the Longfellow Bridge and Charles River Dam. It's the first major bloom in the last four years, according to the Charles River Watershed Association. - Health risks: Coming in direct contact with the blue-green algae (or water it's in) can cause skin irritation. The airborne toxins can also have harmful effects on your respiratory system. Ingesting the water can lead to [nausea, cramping or liver failure.]( - Go deeper: What's the reason for the bloom? WBUR's Barbara Moran explains [what environmental factors allow the algae to develop.]( P.S. - If your red voter information booklet left you with more questions (or, perhaps, never arrived in the mail), don't fret. We've published five new ballot question explainers to help you feel well-informed on everything from the measure on MCAS as a high school graduation requirement to the push for higher minimum wages for tipped workers. [Find all our guides here.]( Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters The Rundown [Tufts University lacrosse players hospitalized for days after workout]( Tufts University says it has launched an investigation after members of the men's lacrosse team were diagnosed with a dangerous medical condition. [Read more.]( [Tufts University lacrosse players hospitalized for days after workout]( Tufts University says it has launched an investigation after members of the men's lacrosse team were diagnosed with a dangerous medical condition. [Read more.]( [Speaker Johnson announces plan to keep the government funded until Dec. 20]( The measure does not include any part of the SAVE Act, the election security proposal backed by former President Donald Trump. [Read more.]( [Speaker Johnson announces plan to keep the government funded until Dec. 20]( The measure does not include any part of the SAVE Act, the election security proposal backed by former President Donald Trump. [Read more.]( [Boxing training suspended at Massachusetts police academy after recruit's death]( The Massachusetts State Police have suspended full-contact boxing training activities among recruits until further notice after trainee Enrique Delgado-Garcia died at a hospital on Sept. 13, a day after participating in the exercise at the academy. [Read more.]( [Boxing training suspended at Massachusetts police academy after recruit's death]( The Massachusetts State Police have suspended full-contact boxing training activities among recruits until further notice after trainee Enrique Delgado-Garcia died at a hospital on Sept. 13, a day after participating in the exercise at the academy. [Read more.]( [EVs are cleaner than gas cars, but a growing share of Americans don't believe it]( Electric vehicles are caught up in the culture wars. Data from Ipsos shows the percentage of Americans who believe EVs are better for the environment than gas cars has dropped 5 points since 2022. [Read more.]( [EVs are cleaner than gas cars, but a growing share of Americans don't believe it]( Electric vehicles are caught up in the culture wars. Data from Ipsos shows the percentage of Americans who believe EVs are better for the environment than gas cars has dropped 5 points since 2022. [Read more.]( [No needles required: The FDA approves an at-home flu vaccine]( The nasal spray option could encourage more people who have fears of doctors or needles to inoculate themselves against the flu. [Read more.]( [No needles required: The FDA approves an at-home flu vaccine]( The nasal spray option could encourage more people who have fears of doctors or needles to inoculate themselves against the flu. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Tonight at CitySpace: Rapid-developing artificial intelligence technology seems to be popping up everywhere - from online to customer service centers. MIT researcher Daniela Rus and science writer Gregory Mone seek to demystify AI in their new book, "The Mind's Mirror." They'll discuss it with WBUR's Ben Brock Johnson onstage tonight. [You can still snag tickets here.]( - In just a week, [a mini-moon by the name of 2024 PT5 will enter our planet's orbit](. Unfortunately, the 33-foot space rock won't be visible to the naked eye or even through a household telescope - but still, it's nice to have visitors, right? - Celebrity chef Tiffany Faison joined Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing last week to share some of her favorite New England fall foods, including some you may not have heard of, like the [cranberry bean.]( Get tips for fresh items to add to your fall plates when you[listen here.]( What We're Reading 📚 - What's that giant thing that's been leaping out of the water all over the North Shore? ([The Boston Globe]( - What Is Jeopardy!'s Future? ([Slate]( - Huge Australian king penguin chick Pesto grows into social media star ([Associated Press](   Tell Me Something Good [MIT art lending program put contemporary works in dorm rooms]( 530 MIT students left the List Visual Arts Center with works by contemporary artists to hang in their homes for the academic year. [Read more.]( [MIT art lending program put contemporary works in dorm rooms]( 530 MIT students left the List Visual Arts Center with works by contemporary artists to hang in their homes for the academic year. [Read more.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go:[It's time.]( 😎 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.