Matt McDonald
Matt McDonald was born in Brighton and grew up in Watertown. He has spent most of his life in the general area of Boston. He has worked for six newspaper organizations and several magazines, mostly as a reporter, but also as a copy editor and editor, among other things. His work has appeared in The Mashpee Messenger, Cape Cod News, and The Norfolk Boomerang.
Items by Matt McDonald
Christmas Church Services in Massachusetts? Yes, Says Governor – But No Guarantees About Future
December 2, 2020, 15:01 EST
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Severe Limitations on Religious Gatherings
November 26, 2020, 13:17 EST
Climate-Change Carbon Fee on Fuel in Massachusetts May Be Headed for Shelf
November 24, 2020, 7:24 EST
Abortion Expansion Bill Likely To Get Massachusetts House Vote This Week
November 10, 2020, 7:39 EST
Abortion Expansion Bill To Come To Floor of Massachusetts Legislature, Beacon Hill Leaders Say
November 3, 2020, 6:23 EST
Ed Markey Calls Amy Coney Barrett’s Originalism ‘Racist,’ ‘Sexist,’ ‘Homophobic’ … ‘Just A Fancy Word for Discrimination’
October 26, 2020, 23:24 EDT
Catholic College Alumni Unhappy With School’s Publicizing of Catholic Teaching on Marriage
October 24, 2020, 17:33 EDT
Surprise, Questions, Silence Follow Pope Francis’s Comments on Homosexuality Among New England Catholic Leaders
October 22, 2020, 16:05 EDT
Felons Not Being Allowed To Vote Is ‘The New Jim Crow,’ Ayanna Pressley Says
October 18, 2020, 18:18 EDT
Joe Biden Not Asked About New York Post Story on Son Hunter’s Ukrainian Email Messages During 90-Minute ABC Town Hall
October 15, 2020, 23:22 EDT
GOP Challenger Calls Ed Markey ‘Extremist’ on Abortion After Senator Praises ROE Act Bill
October 5, 2020, 23:43 EDT
Trump Tests Positive — But If He Isn’t Sick, He Could Possibly Make Second Biden Debate
October 2, 2020, 6:53 EDT
Joe Biden Says ‘200 Million People Have Died’ of Coronavirus in United States
September 20, 2020, 19:26 EDT
Brookline To Start Requiring People With Trouble Breathing To Wear Face Shields – Even Though Coronavirus Rate Is Low
August 29, 2020, 13:06 EDT
Boston Catholic Priest Who Endorsed Joe Biden Says He’s Against Legal Abortion
August 28, 2020, 8:42 EDT
Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Pastor Endorses Joe Biden, ‘Woman’s Right To Choose’
August 27, 2020, 18:24 EDT
State Government To Spend $2 Million on Ad Campaign To Get People To Buy Products in Massachusetts
August 26, 2020, 11:09 EDT
Congressman Richard Neal On Defensive Over Party Ties To Alex Morse Allegations
August 18, 2020, 12:31 EDT
Too Much Transparency Can Harm Left-Wing Bills, Massachusetts Democratic Legislator Says
August 14, 2020, 18:21 EDT
Speed and Candor Missing in Massachusetts Governor’s Response To Coronavirus, Democratic State Senator Says
August 14, 2020, 15:59 EDT
Most Massachusetts Communities Handling Coronavirus Well and Schools Should Re-Open There, Governor Says
August 11, 2020, 19:01 EDT
Extension of Formal Legislative Sessions May Provide Oxygen for Left-of-Center Bills in Massachusetts Legislature
July 29, 2020, 20:05 EDT
City Official Who Criticized Black Lives Matter, Coronavirus Measures Resigns
July 28, 2020, 20:53 EDT
Boston Red Sox Broadcasters Offer No Opinions on Massive ‘Black Lives Matter’ Banners at Fenway Park
July 25, 2020, 11:40 EDT
Whole Foods Employees Sue Company For Not Being Allowed To Wear ‘Black Lives Matter’ Masks At Work
July 21, 2020, 8:33 EDT
No More White Summer Interns, All Reporters To ‘Assess Their Work Through A Racial Lens,’ Boston Globe Editor Says
July 3, 2020, 20:14 EDT
Could It Happen in Massachusetts? Religious-Schools-Funding U.S. Supreme Court Decision Examined
July 1, 2020, 14:19 EDT
Boston Archbishop Criticized for Featuring Abortion Supporters During Racial Healing Mass
June 20, 2020, 13:26 EDT
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Are Federal Civil Rights Categories, U.S. Supreme Court Says
June 16, 2020, 0:29 EDT
Massachusetts Governor Declines Comment on Lawsuit Claiming He Has Overreached During Coronavirus Emergency
June 6, 2020, 18:39 EDT
Massachusetts Congresswoman Wants Every ‘Mom and Spouse’ To Feel Safe From Police
June 4, 2020, 16:20 EDT
Massachusetts Attorney General Was Against Forest Fires Before She Was For Them
June 3, 2020, 19:09 EDT
Joe Kennedy III Hosts Panel Discussion of Abortion Providers, Calls for ‘Reproductive Justice’
May 23, 2020, 12:57 EDT
City, State Agree To Leave Pastor Alone This Sunday – What Will Governor Do Monday?
May 15, 2020, 22:22 EDT
Pastors Who Want Churches Opened Feeling Sandbagged By Massachusetts Governor
May 15, 2020, 6:17 EDT
Some Getting Antsy About Massachusetts Governor’s Slow Rollout of Coronavirus Re-Opening
May 13, 2020, 12:36 EDT
No More Basketball? Massachusetts Governor Describes New World Order in Age of Coronavirus
May 12, 2020, 11:40 EDT
Church Leaders To Meet With Reopening Advisory Board, Massachusetts Governor Says
May 8, 2020, 18:56 EDT
Worcester Pastor’s Lawyers Call On Massachusetts Governor To Open Churches This Weekend
May 8, 2020, 18:41 EDT
Worcester Church To Hold Public Service Again Sunday, Against Governor’s Order
May 2, 2020, 11:32 EDT
Worcester Pastor Holds Less-Than-10-People Church Service, Hints At Statement To Come
April 29, 2020, 23:20 EDT
Governor Baker Defends Order Closing Churches, Says Worcester Officials Doing Right Thing
April 28, 2020, 17:23 EDT
Harvard Law School Professor Calls for a ‘Presumptive Ban’ on Homeschooling
April 21, 2020, 19:15 EDT
Church Cancels Easter Drive-In Service After Local Health Official Says Don’t Do It
April 13, 2020, 12:48 EDT
Catholic College Hiring Basketball Coach Rick Pitino – Who Admitted Enabling An Abortion
March 15, 2020, 21:52 EDT
Massachusetts Governor Bans Gatherings of 25 or More People, Orders Schools Closed, Restricts Bars and Restaurants To Takeout
March 15, 2020, 21:34 EDT
Harrison Ford Was Against Celebrities Talking Politics Before He Was For It
February 18, 2020, 21:49 EST
Ailing Rush Limbaugh Given Presidential Medal of Freedom During State of the Union
February 4, 2020, 22:33 EST
What Charlie Baker Might Have Said About Ayanna Pressley’s Talk Besides ‘Rant’
January 22, 2020, 0:25 EST
Vermont, Connecticut Governors Not So High on Charlie Baker’s Regional Carbon-Emissions Fee on Gasoline
January 11, 2020, 10:08 EST
Does New York Dial-Back Suggest Ill Tidings for Massachusetts Attorney General’s Climate Change Case Against ExxonMobil?
November 12, 2019, 22:44 EST
Steve Lynch Not Woke Enough To Run U.S. House Impeachment Committee, Left-Wing Challenger Says
October 31, 2019, 22:42 EDT
Calling ICE for Comment Draws Boycott Campaign for Harvard Student Newspaper
October 24, 2019, 19:06 EDT
Mayoral Candidate Says He Won’t Raise Property Taxes As Much As State Law Allows
October 20, 2019, 23:50 EDT
Public Transportation and Bike Lanes Over Roads, Say Ayanna Pressley, New D.C. Caucus
October 17, 2019, 21:31 EDT
Pemberton Leaves U.S. Senate Race, Takes Shots at Kennedy, Markey, and Democratic Party
October 14, 2019, 22:05 EDT
Governor Shouldn’t Plunge Into Gas-Tax-Like Climate Change Initiative, Taxpayer Advocate Says
October 12, 2019, 9:07 EDT
Anti-Abortion-Funding Constitutional Amendment Ballot Question Gets Go-Ahead From Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office
September 5, 2019, 6:39 EDT
Sex Offender Registry Defendant Can Pursue DNA Test To Try To Clear Himself, Massachusetts High Court Rules
August 22, 2019, 16:23 EDT
Markey Endorses ROE Act Bill, Accepts Early Endorsement from Pro-Abortion Group
August 15, 2019, 22:28 EDT
Indicted Massachusetts Judge To Get Back Pay and Continuing Pay While Federal Obstruction-of-Justice Case Proceeds
August 14, 2019, 11:10 EDT
Immigrant Gets Second Bite at Plea Deal Apple Because Judge Didn’t Read Him Enough Deportation Warnings
August 9, 2019, 7:07 EDT
Conservative Watchdog Calls For Investigation of Massachusetts House Speaker Over State Credit Card
August 6, 2019, 8:48 EDT
Zero Vetoes: Fiscal Conservatives Hit Charlie Baker for Rubber-Stamping Massachusetts Legislature’s Budget
July 31, 2019, 23:12 EDT
Connecticut Driver’s License Helps Mexican Illegal Immigrant Smuggle In Seven Other Illegals, Feds Say
July 27, 2019, 21:47 EDT
Massachusetts Democrats Keep Calling for Impeaching Trump; Massachusetts GOP Chairman Says Mueller’s Testimony A ‘Disaster’ for Democrats
July 25, 2019, 8:00 EDT
Massachusetts State Senator Shuts Down Pro-Lifer’s Recording of Committee Hearing on Anti-Planned Parenthood Bill
July 18, 2019, 13:07 EDT
Massachusetts Legislators Eye Creating Commission That Could Ditch State Flag
July 2, 2019, 23:43 EDT
Majority of Massachusetts Voters Oppose Expanding Late-Term Abortions, New Poll Finds
June 5, 2019, 13:17 EDT
Brown University Is On Occupied Territory and Is Part of the Problem, About-To-Be-Tattooed New Graduate Tells Fellow Graduates
May 26, 2019, 20:46 EDT
Taxpayer Advocate Chip Faulkner Dies — Stalwart of Citizens for Limited Taxation
May 24, 2019, 14:52 EDT
Why A Pro-Abortion Rhode Island State Senator Killed An All-Nine-Months Abortion Bill
May 15, 2019, 20:06 EDT
Restore Massachusetts Sales Tax To 5 Percent, Citizens for Limited Taxation Says
May 6, 2019, 17:01 EDT
Judge Indicted for Helping Illegal Immigrant Elude ICE Agent at Newton District Court
April 25, 2019, 17:14 EDT
Letting Unsecured Gun Get Stolen Is Enough To Lose License To Carry, Massachusetts Court Rules – Even After 50 Years of Incident-Free Gun Ownership
April 19, 2019, 17:25 EDT
Former Boston Globe Writer Says He Had No Intention of P—— in Bill Kristol’s Salmon
April 17, 2019, 20:15 EDT
Restaurant Pay Court Case May Lead To Wide-Ranging Bay-Pay Problems for Massachusetts Companies
April 12, 2019, 21:35 EDT
Boston Globe Was For Column Calling for Urinating in Bill Kristol’s Food Before It Was Somewhat Against It Before It Was Against It Some More Before It Was Totally Against It
April 12, 2019, 18:50 EDT
Family Intervention A Goal of State Commission on Homosexual and Transgender Youth
April 8, 2019, 11:59 EDT
School Police Officers Would Get Sweeter Pension Terms Under Boston City Council Proposal
April 4, 2019, 18:02 EDT
State Offers Cash To Deal With Shark Attacks on Cape Cod – But Only After They Occur
April 3, 2019, 17:50 EDT
Charlie Baker Sounds Skeptical About ROE Act Abortion Bill; House Speaker Doesn’t Greenlight It, Either
April 2, 2019, 7:57 EDT
Massachusetts Republican Assembly Issues Challenge on Anti-Abortion Movie ‘Unplanned’
March 29, 2019, 18:51 EDT
Markey Votes ‘Present’ On His Own Green New Deal Resolution; Says United States Must Lead To Get China and India To Follow
March 27, 2019, 6:29 EDT
Massachusetts To Fund Planned Parenthood Even If Federal Government Doesn’t
March 25, 2019, 22:47 EDT
Governor Baker Holding the Fort Against Clean-Needle Drug Injection Sites in Massachusetts
March 23, 2019, 19:19 EDT
Several Hundred Pro-Family Massachusetts Residents Turn Out To Lobby Legislators on Beacon Hill
March 20, 2019, 14:07 EDT
Markey Hits Trump Rule Aimed At Planned Parenthood; Catholic Group Calls Markey ‘Professional Panderer’
March 19, 2019, 20:16 EDT
Massachusetts House Passes Conversion Therapy Ban; Senate Sponsor Waffling on Child-Abuse Provision
March 13, 2019, 17:51 EDT
Ayanna Pressley Serious About Lowering Voting Age To 16, But U.S. House Isn’t, For Now
March 8, 2019, 2:48 EST
Freedom, Safety, Suicide, and Life: Conversion Therapy Ban Draws Intense Testimony on Beacon Hill
March 6, 2019, 19:16 EST
Framingham To Study Sanctuary City Status;
Opponent Says Appoint ‘Angel Moms’ To Panel
February 20, 2019, 23:11 EST
Cape Town Doesn’t Have To Pay Waterfront Property Owner for Denying House, Court Says
February 19, 2019, 18:38 EST
Massachusetts High Court Upholds Text-Suicide Conviction, But Doesn’t Rule on Assisted Suicide
February 6, 2019, 13:31 EST
Abortions Easier To Get After 24 Weeks and For Minors If New Massachusetts Bill Passes
February 4, 2019, 21:56 EST
Charlie Baker Is Now ‘Their Excellency, The Governor,’ Massachusetts House Says
February 1, 2019, 8:46 EST
Maine’s First Recreational Marijuana Store Getting Closer … But Could Old Graves Get in the Way?
January 11, 2019, 15:47 EST
Mashpee Wampanoag Casino Still A Pipe Dream, But New Bill in Congress Could Rescue Tribe
January 8, 2019, 21:32 EST
Columbus Day Survives Attack in Framingham – But He’ll Have To Share Space on School Calendar
January 3, 2019, 18:27 EST
Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson
Taking Trump’s Side in Government
Shutdown Over Wall
December 22, 2018, 15:14 EST
Tiny Tax Cut Next Year Inching Toward Finish Line; Gratitude Hard To Find
December 17, 2018, 17:59 EST
Lion’s Share of Teachers’ Union Dues Don’t Stay With Local Unions,
Pioneer Study Says
November 14, 2018, 21:28 EST
Feds: Dominican National Used Fraudulent U.S. Passport To Get Federal Benefits
November 9, 2018, 22:07 EST
Pro-Yes-on-3 Ad Agency Alters Ad After Objections From Opponents of Gender-Identity Law
November 3, 2018, 8:10 EDT
What Happened at Woburn Target?
Murky Bathroom Encounter Roils Question 3 Campaign
October 30, 2018, 21:39 EDT
UMass Officials: Our Bathrooms and Locker Rooms Will Stay Transgender Regardless of Question 3 Outcome
October 29, 2018, 20:54 EDT
To Wax or Not To Wax:
Question 3 Radio Debate on
Gender Identity Puts Transgender Beauty Spa Case Front and Center
October 25, 2018, 19:22 EDT
Possible $50,000 Penalty For Gender-Identity Law Violations, Question 3 Opponent Says
October 4, 2018, 18:45 EDT
Possible $50,000 Penalty For Repeatedly Violating Massachusetts Gender Identity Law, No-on-Question-3 Advocate Says
October 4, 2018, 15:56 EDT
Pro-Abortion Left-Wingers Rally Against Kavanaugh at Boston City Hall Plaza
October 1, 2018, 15:31 EDT
Transgender Customer Demanded ‘Full Brazilian’ From Beauty Salon Under Massachusetts Gender Identity Law
September 27, 2018, 15:02 EDT
Kavanaugh Flatly Denies Accusations, Gets Personal in Emotional Television Interview
September 25, 2018, 7:51 EDT
‘Bathroom Bill’ Opponents Release Ad Highlighting Fears About Sex Offenders
September 21, 2018, 11:32 EDT
Lori Trahan Wins Dem Nod in Third Congressional District, Takes Shot At Rick Green
September 17, 2018, 22:10 EDT
Rick Green Makes Splash With First General Election Ad in Run for Congress
September 12, 2018, 9:53 EDT
Pro-Bathroom Bill Ballot Question Committee Has 35 Times More Money Than Opponents in Massachusetts
September 10, 2018, 21:08 EDT
Corporate Campaign Contributions Still Illegal in Massachusetts … For Now
September 6, 2018, 16:18 EDT
What To Make of Tomorrow’s Massachusetts GOP Primary Results … Before They Happen
September 3, 2018, 13:03 EDT
Bombshell Letter Attacking Pope Francis Over McCarrick Also Questions Cardinal O’Malley
August 27, 2018, 12:05 EDT
GOP Having Field Day With Elizabeth Warren’s Comments on Immigration, Mollie Tibbetts Murder
August 22, 2018, 17:47 EDT
No More Sam: Somerville Mayor To Abstain From Boston Beer Over Pro-Trump-Tax-Cut Comments
August 14, 2018, 7:38 EDT
GOP Candidates Take Tongs To Elizabeth Warren – And Save A Little for Each Other
August 8, 2018, 15:40 EDT
Three Lies and a Truth: Long ‘New York’ Article on Elizabeth Warren Cut Down To Size
July 24, 2018, 20:17 EDT
High Court Ruling on Abortion Counseling Breathes New Life Into Challenging Bans on ‘Conversion Therapy’
June 27, 2018, 15:14 EDT
Shutting The Back Door: How One Mother Sees Proposed Ban in Massachusetts on ‘Conversion Therapy’ for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity
May 29, 2018, 23:28 EDT
Marriage-Supporting Graduate Barred From Providence College Campus After Giving Administrator What-For
May 23, 2018, 18:02 EDT
High School Pulls Plug on Veterans Event Speaker Because of Conservative Views
April 26, 2018, 15:36 EDT
Entrepreneur Rick Green Says He’ll Empower Voters The Way He Has His Customers
February 25, 2018, 21:45 EST
Political Science Hacks Create Totally Fair and Unbiased Ranking of U.S. Presidents
February 21, 2018, 12:36 EST
Galvin: Trump Administration ‘Sabotaging’ Massachusetts Through Are-You-A-Citizen Query in Census
February 6, 2018, 18:59 EST
Lifeline To Oppressed Easthampton Ninth-Graders: How To Fight The Power and Stay Cool
December 18, 2017, 20:41 EST
Christian Culture in New England? New College Center Seeking To Spread The Word
December 5, 2017, 18:04 EST
Church of England Leader Can’t Understand Why Christians in America Support Donald Trump? Here’s Why, Your Grace
November 27, 2017, 15:52 EST
Don’t Worry, New Hampshire Women, Bill Clinton’s Got Your Back on This One
November 19, 2017, 7:54 EST
Steve Bannon Says He’ll Put ‘Good Money’ Toward Proving New Hampshire Was Stolen From Trump
November 10, 2017, 8:56 EST
Are You An Uzbekistan Terrorist? Here’s An Online Application To Come To The United States, In Your Native Language
November 1, 2017, 18:23 EDT
Massachusetts Senate Gutting Statutory Rape? Key Legislator Says No, But Family Advocate Wary of Bill
November 1, 2017, 7:40 EDT
Another Massachusetts Bishop Shifts Policy on Signature Gathering for Abortion-Funding Petition
October 30, 2017, 18:42 EDT
Cardinal O’Malley Shifts Course on Signature Gathering for Anti-Abortion-Funding Petition at Churches
October 28, 2017, 12:13 EDT
White Supremacist Horse Shows What Confederate Statues Mess Is Really All About
September 1, 2017, 14:33 EDT
Human Chain Beach Heroes Helped Save A Family; Maybe They Can Help Save A Nation
July 11, 2017, 15:56 EDT
Can Seniors Joining Service Wear Military Insignia To High School Graduation? School Officials Say No
June 14, 2017, 8:13 EDT
Five Free Family-Friendly Places To Visit in Massachusetts During April Vacation (and Beyond)
April 20, 2017, 6:32 EDT
The Struggles at Two Boston High Schools: Will Axing Teachers Fix the Problems?
February 16, 2017, 7:54 EST
Vice President Mike Pence To Speak At March for Life in Washington
January 26, 2017, 23:16 EST
Church/State Flap Nixes School Chorus Easter Appearance at Italian Basilica
January 18, 2017, 14:55 EST
Biotech Firm Can Now Buy State Land in Worcester
January 6, 2017, 15:11 EST
Not so fast: Massachusetts AG office says churches not always exempt from ‘bathroom bill’
December 19, 2016, 18:07 EST
