Is New Hampshire about to get gerrymandered?

Also: No deal on Boston's vaccine mandate; dollars for electric vehicle chargers [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  February 7, 2022 🌨️ Cloudy, with a high near 37. A chance of snow and rain. Good Morning Boston, It’s still pretty icy out there, and it may [get worse during your ride home from work this afternoon](. Be safe; try not to slide into anything but the news today: - Time is getting tight for City of Boston workers who aren't in compliance with Mayor Michelle Wu's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Wu [told WBUR in an interview Sunday]( that the city is preparing to finally enforce the requirement, after officials failed to reach a deal with public safety unions. - The Boston Herald [reported]( that Wu's administration offered a compromise that would have allowed unvaccinated employees to submit twice-a-week testing when COVID rates were below certain thresholds (during surges, those workers would be placed on unpaid leave until rates eased back down). - Wu told WBUR it was "frustrating" that the unions refused to take the offer. - Enforcement of the mandate is currently on hold, as a lawsuit brought by the unions plays out in court. - Go deeper: Boston's policy also allows medical or religious exemptions for unvaccinated employees, and officials are working through a backlog of requests. [The city has approved 41% of the 155 requests it has reviewed so far](. They still have another 205 requests to go. About 900 of the city's 18,000 workers are unvaccinated. - Worcester will vote tonight on whether or not the city should rescind its indoor mask mandate, which has been in place for the last six months. If they vote to lift it, the ban would still be in effect until next week. - This comes as other communities across Massachusetts are dropping their own indoor mask requirements, as COVID rates continue to drop. Starting today, Mansfield’s indoor mask mandate only remains in effect for municipal buildings. Lowell and Beverly’s indoor mask mandates ended last week. - The state Senate is planning to debate a bill Thursday that aims to address the high cost of certain medications. How? The bill would [create a process for identifying drug price thresholds](. Manufacturers that don't comply would have to pay a fee to fund a new drug cost assistance program for patients with certain chronic conditions. If passed, it would also limit out-of-pocket spending on insulin by eliminating deductibles and coinsurance for the drug, as well as permanently capping co-pays at $25 for a 30-day supply. - PSA: If you’re a resident of Cambridge, [you can get rapid at-home test kits and KF94 masks for free](. The city has 10,000 kits and 20,000 masks to give out. Pick yours up at city hall or fire stations while supplies last. - Massachusetts is providing some financial juice to create a robust electrical vehicle charging network. The state is giving out [more than $13 million]( in grants to install more than 300 electric vehicle fast-charging stations at 150 locations around the state. You can learn more about the program [here](. - A winter reminder: If you don’t clear snow from your sidewalks after a big storm, it will cost you (literally). A [report from The Boston Globe]( found Boston issued more than 1,100 snow clearing violations to property owners after last month’s blizzard. And the city didn’t give itself any breaks either. Properties owned by Boston, including the MBTA, were hit with 46 tickets, totaling $6,900 in fines. P.S.– Meagan here! In honor of Valentine's Day, I shared a story on air about my boyfriend and my's first date at a Dollar Tree in Allston. (If you missed it, [you can listen here]( I hope it shows that little things can lead to something bigger. An unexpected and fun first date can turn into a relationship still going strong over a year later; [buying Valentine's Day flowers from WBUR]( for loved ones anywhere in New England can turn into much-needed support for independent journalism. Plus, if you [order now]( you'll save 10% on all four arrangement choices. Yes, that includes a dozen long stemmed red roses. 😏 Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow]( Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [The battle to control Congress comes to New Hampshire, sparking charges of gerrymandering]( A proposed map by local Republicans would likely help the GOP win back one of the two Congressional seats in the Granite State by shifting 365,000 voters from one district to another.Democrats and voting rights activists are outraged. [Read more.]( [The battle to control Congress comes to New Hampshire, sparking charges of gerrymandering]( A proposed map by local Republicans would likely help the GOP win back one of the two Congressional seats in the Granite State by shifting 365,000 voters from one district to another.Democrats and voting rights activists are outraged. [Read more.]( [The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection]( Scientists are beginning to come up with answers to the question of how long antibodies from an infection can protect you — and what they'll protect you from. [Read more.]( [The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection]( Scientists are beginning to come up with answers to the question of how long antibodies from an infection can protect you — and what they'll protect you from. [Read more.]( [Communities of color get more gas leaks, slower repairs, says study]( Researchers say people of color, lower-income households and people with limited English skills across Massachusetts are more exposed to hazardous gas leaks than the general population. [Read more.]( [Communities of color get more gas leaks, slower repairs, says study]( Researchers say people of color, lower-income households and people with limited English skills across Massachusetts are more exposed to hazardous gas leaks than the general population. [Read more.]( [The U.S. is considering a radical rethinking of the dollar for today's digital world]( The Federal Reserve is considering whether to adopt a digital version of the dollar, one better suited to a world where we are already using Venmo and Apple Pay. [Read more.]( [The U.S. is considering a radical rethinking of the dollar for today's digital world]( The Federal Reserve is considering whether to adopt a digital version of the dollar, one better suited to a world where we are already using Venmo and Apple Pay. [Read more.]( [U.S. says Russia has amassed about 75% of the troops it would need to invade Ukraine]( Officials warn that an attack could result in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, while millions of Ukrainian refugees would be left to flee, likely to nearby Poland. [Read more.]( [U.S. says Russia has amassed about 75% of the troops it would need to invade Ukraine]( Officials warn that an attack could result in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, while millions of Ukrainian refugees would be left to flee, likely to nearby Poland. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Tax season is on the horizon, and the IRS is requiring some taxpayers to provide a selfie to access additional information. Here's [why privacy advocates say the policy goes too far](. - Counterprogramming the Olympics: the Winter Olympics officially kicked off over the weekend in Beijing, but local critics of Chinese oppression want viewers to tune into something else. Boston-based activist Christopher Choi [joined WBUR's Weekend Edition to suggest some alternative content](. - While residents have a right to protest, Colette A.M. Phillips [writes in this commentary]( that the early morning demonstrations outside Wu's home by opponents of her COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers crosses a line. What We're Reading 📚 - 30 minutes in Roslindale: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s block has taken center stage in one of the city’s ugliest political dramas ([The Boston Globe]( - Rolling With Wee Man, and His Fans ([The New York Times]( - A man in a ‘Star Wars’ costume gives free masks to travelers. Meet ‘The Maskalorian.’ ([The Washington Post]( Tell Me Something Good [Solar spring is here, and that means we are gaining more daylight in an increasingly big way (The Boston Globe)]( Winter isn’t over — not by a longshot — but each day now has more daylight, and it’s becoming noticeable. [Read more.]( [Solar spring is here, and that means we are gaining more daylight in an increasingly big way (The Boston Globe)]( Winter isn’t over — not by a longshot — but each day now has more daylight, and it’s becoming noticeable. [Read more.]( Before you go: I suppose [that's a way to keep a spot]( for the rest of winter. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   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.]( Copyright © 2021 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.