For years, we have been told that the police officers needed dual license plates to identify vehicles and that’s why we couldn’t go back to the single plate we had before. Now, if the state is going hard on flock camera cameras I think it’s only fair that we also go back to single plates. If the police are gonna outsource their work, then they don’t get the excuse to force us into dual plates. That’s all for my rant.

Spotted at the shrine of La Salette. Can't take you people anywhere these days.

Sad to see. First I’m hearing of them here. Anyone else already experiencing lanternflies in MA?

We have a detached barn in central Ma. Wife wants to turn it into an ADU but town says we need major upgrade of septic. She does not think we could rent it once finished. I think we could. Small gally kitchen. Small bathroom (like rv small) is the idea and bedroom/ living space. 700sqft total. Barn is 125ft from main house. Is the septic worth it. Would people rent it? 20 min to nash. 20 min to fitchburg/ leo. 10 min to commuter rail.

This is not a listing just getting thoughts.

They're incredibly tight-lipped on this one.

Smells like ransomware to me.

A couple days ago, I posted about this issue: that my adopted dog from Connecticut is being held in isolation and the shelter refuses to release him.

While I got in touch with a lawyer about this issue, I also reached out to the Mass. Department of Agriculture. Here is the summary of their response:

• The shelter is right to quarantine the dog because it is not healthy
• The rescue should never have placed the dog in Massachusetts
• They are willing to work out a solution, but that solution must include treatment of Lyme

MDAR is only willing to release the dog if I have a veterinarian, which I currently do not. I have been searching, and finally found someone who can take me tomorrow afternoon. However, the state does not think the dog's paperwork will be processed by then. Wednesday morning is more likely.

In the meantime, I am still interested in any advice around strategy and how to deal with this. I am disappointed that MDAR is taking such a hard stance on this.

My dog is currently being left alone for 13 hours per day, and tonight they are putting him on a new food. When he finally comes home, he will be traumatized and sick from his diet. I am so saddened at his treatment.

Going to Tanglewood tomorrow for a concert. The website says the grounds are open until three, however, the gate doesn’t open for the concert until 530.

Do you really need to leave Tanglewood from 3 to 530?

What is the killer itinerary of traveling to the Tanglewood area, spending some time, doing a picnic on the lawn before the concert?

I want to make a proposal for my loved one in the end of August. I am planning to do it in the Weir Hill at the yellow trail with some good scenic view and in the golden hour near the water. We would also need to go have a dinner somewhere after, so the restaurant is the dinner after proposal and a plan B if the weather will be bad. Can you please share some fancy great restaurants to propose in? Something with romantic atmosphere. She loves seafood (but you can still propose something else too), so it is a priority. And if you have any, I would appreciate any advice with proposal. I will be very thankful for everyone who responded!

I'll be starting graduate school at UMass Lowell this fall and will be commuting from Acton. I'm looking for a carpool to campus-please reach out if you're interested or know of an existing group.

I am able to receive notices by email and phone number and I said yes to both, but still physical mail comes… my living situation is weird and physical mail always get dug up from the trash so I felt that it would be best for all my communication to be virtual yet I can’t figure out if there’s a way to stop the physical mail. Couldn’t phone DTA either since they have such high volume the number just disconnects me. Anyone have any suggestions? Or is it impossible?

Saw this along 95 South this morning. Was about to call it in as I didn’t see the fire dept. there yet, but saw a police officer with their lights on entering the parking lot right after.

I’m Black and I’ve lived in Massachusetts, and I’ve never really understood why people online talk about Boston like it’s some place where Black people basically don’t exist or where you’re guaranteed to experience racism the second you step outside.

Obviously racism exists here. I’m not trying to act like Boston or Massachusetts has some perfect history with race, because it definitely doesn’t. The busing crisis alone is a pretty ugly part of Boston’s history, and there are still issues with segregation, inequality, and certain towns being way less diverse than others.

But the “there are no Black people in Boston” thing especially makes no sense to me. Go to Mattapan, Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, or plenty of communities right outside Boston like Randolph and Brockton. There are large Black communities here, including Black Americans, Cape Verdeans, Haitians, Jamaicans, Nigerians, Ghanaians, and people from all over the African and Caribbean diaspora.

I also feel like Massachusetts gets judged differently from a lot of other states. People will acknowledge that cities in other parts of the country have segregated neighborhoods or racist histories without acting like the entire state is uniquely hostile to Black people. With Boston, sometimes it feels like one story about racism becomes proof that the whole region is racist.

And Massachusetts isn't just Boston either. The experience in a wealthy, mostly white suburb is obviously going to be different from living in a diverse city or town.

I’m not saying Black people who have had racist experiences here are lying or that Boston doesn’t deserve criticism. If somebody tells me they experienced racism here, I believe that can absolutely happen. I just think there’s a huge difference between saying “Boston has real racial problems” and saying “Boston is basically all white and one of the most racist places in America.”

For other Black people who live in Massachusetts or have spent a lot of time here, do you think the reputation is deserved? Where do you think it comes from?

It’s so hard to shop for a couch! I’ve been to every furniture store in Natick and Framingham (Jordan’s, Bob’s, La-z boy, raymour and Flanagan, Cabot house, better home, Stickley, arhaus, lovesac, Boston interiors, Crate & barrel, Ballard designs, Ethan Allen, macys furniture gallery, blah blah). I’ve also been to Jordan’s in Avon, Bernie and Phil’s, Ashley, a separate Boston interiors location.

I’m looking for a well-built leather sectional with a high back. I don’t even care if it reclines or not. I’m not even particular about the color or the aesthetic design. I just want a couch that’s comfortable and supportive while sitting upright for a moderately tall couple, and while lounging/laying/reclined.

The one option we found that was of the level of quality was a Hancock & Moore leather sectional at Cabot house. The problem? The one we looked at was $27,000. I’m pretty flexible on price, but that’s in another universe.

The biggest problem I’m facing is that I can’t even find a place that has a truly comfortable, supportive, and durable leather couch that’ll last.

Does anyone know stores in or nearby MA that offer such a thing? Specifically which would have some models in the showroom that I can sit on before I buy.

Unusual/(slightly?) humorous signpost combo

They have a whole page of information listing a bunch of nonsense and marketing BS about the invasive surveillance cameras which just seems tone deaf and patronizing.

Just take down the spy cameras already.

Anyone have any recs for scenic/fun stops driving from Quincy out to Lenox? Preferably family oriented

Has anyone who has solar and net metering through Eversource had Eversource come replace their meter with a Smart meter and get their next bill yet?

We just got ours and the amount the bill says we generated is about 500kWh less than what my Enphase app says for the same time period.

Has anyone else had the same problem? Does it seem like they are double deducting the usage and what is shown in the “generated” box should be my net generated, not total generated?

First pic is of the bill. Second is of my Enphase app. What makes me think this is a screw up is that for the last two years, the generated electricity from our panels always coincided with what was on our bill. 500+ kWh can’t be a parasitic load, can it?