Senate hopefuls spar on lobbying

BOSTON - Democrat Alan Khazei on Tuesday turned an environmental forum into platform to criticize two leading U.S. Senate rivals for their connections to lobbyists and other special interests, but he quickly staged a pragmatic retreat himself.

Coakley: No to House bill

BOSTON - Martha Coakley and the three other Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate traded barbs Monday after Coakley said she would have voted against a major health care reform bill because it contained an anti-abortion amendment.

Local aid, education spared ax

WORCESTER - Gov. Deval Patrick said Thursday he plans to close the state's $600 million budget gap with a blend of cuts in state services and programs and up to 2,000 job cuts but none of the local aid and few of the school funding reductions many cities and towns warned would decimate local education and public safety.

UMass to host debate with candidates for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat

AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts will host a forum Nov. 8 for the candidates seeking the late Edward M. Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat.

Patrick says there's still no union deal on concessions in budget cuts

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick says the state's labor unions still have not agreed to job-saving concessions as he prepares to announce how he plans to cut $600 million from the budget.

Patrick economic summit aims to kickstart state's recovery

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday convened an economic summit aimed at helping Massachusetts accelerate out of the recession by getting government and business leaders to work together.

Senate hopefuls square off in first debate

BOSTON - All four Democratic candidates for the late Edward Kennedy's Senate seat said their party leaders in Congress should force through a health care bill with or without Republican support, despite President Barack Obama's call for bipartisanship.

The four also called for a strong public option Monday during their first debate of the special election.