Around New England

No Free College and We Can’t Conduct A Sit-In at the House Speaker’s Office?

Matthew McDonald

Massachusetts public college students who threatened a sit-in at the Massachusetts House Speaker's office earlier this week are expressing outrage that they were threatened with being arrested if they did.

The students, members of Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts, which calls itself "PHENOM" for short, were demanding free college from state legislators. Frustrated with the lack of acquiescence to their demands, the students later said they were surprised by the reaction when they announced they planned to occupy a portion of the office of Robert DeLeo, the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Around New England

Maine Governor:  Thou Shalt Vaccinate

Matthew McDonald

Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, has signed a bill that forces parents to have their children vaccinated even if they have religious or philosophical objections to it, setting up a possible constitutional fight.

Supporters say they are concerned about rising cases of measles, whooping cough, and other communicable diseases in Maine, which state officials say has one of the highest rates of vaccination opt-outs in America, according to The Associated Press.

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