Gov. Patrick Names William 'Mo' Cowan Interim Senator

Markey is in, Lynch set to make an announcement Thursday and Brown reportedly considering throwing his hat into the race following Tuesday’s nomination of John Kerry as Secretary of State.

With Tuesday's official nomination of U.S. Senator John Kerry to the post of Secretary of State, the field is opening up with folks vying for Kerry's seat in his unexpired term in the U.S. Senate. But before that even happens an interim senator has to be named. On Wednesday, Governor Deval Patrick announced his former chief of staff William “Mo” Cowan will be the interim senator and will serve until a new senator is elected in the June 25 special election. Patch reported in December that Cowan, a Stoughton resident, would be stepping down this month and returning to the private sector. Besides being Patrick’s former chief of staff, Cowan also served as chief legal counsel to Governor Patrick, having served in the Patrick-Murray …

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PHOTOS: Governor Patrick, Newton Officials Help Launch Mayor's Re-Election Bid

Although protesters lined the street outside the Chestnut Hill home, the mood inside was optimistic as local and state officials supported Mayor Setti Warren's re-election bid.

Roughly a month after news broke that he would be running for re-election, Setti Warren officially launched his campaign for a second term as mayor of Newton Monday night.  The campaign kick-off was held at the home of Chestnut Hill residents Rick and Jan Lipof. Newton aldermen, School Committee members and state officials packed the house. A number of Democratic politicians spoke during the event and offered support for Warren, including Gov. Deval Patrick, former Gov. Michael Dukakis and State Treasurer Steve Grossman.  Despite the optimistic tone inside, a number of protesters lined the street outside the event to show support for Newton Police Chief Matthew Cummings. Warren placed Cummings on administrative leave last month and is in …

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What Did You Think of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick's DNC Speech?

The Massachusetts governor had delegates on their feet Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, but did his speech resonate with you? Let us know by posting a comment below.

  Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick came out firing Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, attacking his predecessor Mitt Romney's record in the Bay State. "Mitt Romney talkes a lot about all the things he's fixed," he said. "I can tell you that Massachusetts wasn't one of them. He's a fine fellow and a great salesman, but as governor he was more interested in having the job than doing it." By the end of his speech, which touched on President Barack Obama's first-term accomplishments, the economy, role of government and the American Dream, Patrick had the packed crowd of delegates on their feet and in a frenzy, but we want to know: How did Patrick's speech play here in Massachusetts? Were you a fan of the governor…

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House Rejects Governor's 'Three-Strikes' Amendment

The governor on Saturday sent 'Melissa's Bill' back to the Legislature.

Gov. Deval Patrick set in motion a wave of criticism when he proposed an amendment to the "three strikes"/Melissa's Bill on the grounds that it lacked sufficient provisions for judicial discretion.  Warning of possible unintended "unjust consequences" that can arise from mandatory sentencing laws, Patrick wrote in a letter to the Legislature, "None of us is wise or prescient enough to foresee each and every circumstance in which the new habitual offender provisions may apply." On Monday afternoon, the House rejected Patrick's amendment by a vote of 132-23, according to The Boston Globe. The bill's fate is up in the air, as the legislature's summer session will end Tuesday at midnight. The governor has not indicated whether he would veto a …

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VIDEO/PHOTO: Governor, Mass. Mayors Visit Newton North Innovation Lab

Students in Newton's Innovation Lab had a chance to show off their projects and ideas to Governor Deval Patrick and members of the Massachusetts Mayors' Association Wednesday.

For clips of students and their projects, check out our other Innovation Lab video. 

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Gov. Patrick, Mayors' Association to Visit Newton North Innovation Lab

Mayor Setti Warren has invited the governor to the lab after State Secretary of Education Paul Reville visited last month.

Following a successful showcase last month, Mayor Setti Warren and the students at Newton North's Innovation Lab are getting ready for another high-profile tour and presentation. Governor Deval Patrick will visit the lab tomorrow along with a number of members of the Massachusetts Mayors' Association (MMA), according to a press release from Mayor Warren's office. Mayor Warren is hosting the group of mayors at Newton North for their monthly meeting.  In February, students in the lab set up a number of the projects they have been working on as a showcase for Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville. Some of the projects included biodiesel, creating fuel out of algae, self-feeding plant systems, robots and more.  According to the …

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Whiz Kids

Whiz Kids: Newton Students Get Inspired to Give at Project 351

This week’s Whiz Kids were selected to participate in a day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy.

Names: Jacob Roll and Maxwell Kozlov Ages: 14 (Jacob), 13 (Maxwell) Schools: F.A. Day Middle School (Jacob), Bigelow Middle School (Maxwell) Accomplishment:  On Jan. 14, Jacob and Maxwell were two of the 300 student ambassadors who were invited to participate in Project 351, an event that consisted of a town hall meeting and day of community service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, and Boston Mayor Tom Menino began the day by speaking directly to the students and asking them “lots of questions” (according to Jacob) about what inspires them to serve their local communities. After this discussion, the students volunteered at four different charitable …

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Newton Babe Ruth All-Stars Meet with Governor Patrick

The team traveled to Beacon Hill yesterday for a special recognition.

After recognition from Mayor Setti Warren and the Newton Board of Aldermen, the Newton Babe Ruth All-Star team shook hands yesterday with one more member of government: Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.  The Newton Babe Ruth All-Star team traveled to Beacon Hill yesterday along with State Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton), Mayor Warren and Alderman Stephen Linsky. The group of 14- and 15-year-old baseball players were recognized by the governor for their efforts in the 2011 Babe Ruth World Series.  The team took the New England Championship title in early August, which sent them down to Glen Allen, Virginia where they faced off against teams from all over the country.  The Newton boys worked hard throughout the series, eventually winning a few …

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