Local special reports
An Unhealthy System
In 2000, Partners HealthCare cut a deal with Blue Cross to ratchet up insurance costs. Nothing in Massachusetts healthcare has been the same since. (December 2008)
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Mass. officials face corruption charges
Embattled state Senator Dianne Wilkerson and City Councilor Chuck Turner face a federal bribery investigation. (Fall 2008) |
The Search for 'Whitey' Bulger
Boston's most notorious gangster worked hand-in-hand with FBI agents, ratting out his Mob rivals in exchange for protection. When the partnership unraveled, James "Whitey" Bulger disappeared. (September 2008) |
The Rockefeller case
Alleged kidnapper Clark Rockefeller is believed to have used many aliases, and police want to question him about the disappearance of a California couple. (August 2008) |
A department under fire
In the last year, the Boston Fire Department has faced questions about 102 firefighters who were granted disability pensions and two firefighters who died in a West Roxbury blaze. (July 2008) |
Rites of Summer
A Saturday series on the simple pleasures of the season in New England. (Summer 2008) |
LAST CHANCE FOR ENGLISH HIGH Amid school's struggle, a reach for redemption |
Entwistle murder trial
Neil Entwistle was found guilty of killing his wife, Rachel, and their daughter, Lillian, in their Hopkinton home in 2006 and was sentenced to life in prison. (June 2008) |
Tragedy on the T
A Green Line trolley crowded with rush-hour passengers slammed into the back of a second trolley in Newton on the evening of May 28, causing the two trains to derail. The MBTA operator driving the second train was killed. (May 2008) |
Senator Edward Kennedy's illness
A titan of the Senate for more than 40 years, Senator Edward M. Kennedy is an icon from one of the most storied political families in American history. Now, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, the senator faces a daunting challenge. (May 2008) |
Blizzard of '78
A savage blizzard packing hurricane force winds dumped up to four feet of snow on many parts of the region between the 6th and 7th of February 1978. (February 2008) |
Ma Siss's Place
In a onetime chopshop, "Ma Siss" and her friends have founded a small evangelical congregation, the Quincy Street Missional Church. (December 2007) |
Prison suicide crisis
In a three-part series the Globe examines the issues behind a high rate of suicides at Massachusetts prisons since 2005. (December 2007) |
Choices of the heart
Faced with family crisis, parents struggle
to make the right decision for their children. (September 2007)
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On the Common: The plain, poor and powerful
Over the past five centuries, Boston Common has brought together the state's most powerful politicians with the city's most down and out. In recent years, however, the nation's oldest park has also become a common ground for crime. (September 2007) |
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A high-stakes casino debate
Ongoing coverage Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a plan to allow three casino resorts in the state following the federal recognition of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe earlier this year. |
High-end fare, with side order of violations
A surprising number of high-end eateries were cited for serious violations, according to a Globe review of inspections. (August 2007) |
The Making of Mitt Romney
A seven-part series Mitt Romney's mother called him her "miracle baby," since he arrived after doctors had warned she could never have children again. He grew up idolizing his force-of-nature father, George. But until tragedy struck, he had few opportunities to show himself worthy of his parents' expectations. (June 2007) Includes video, photo galleries, graphics, and documents |
Boston homicides in 2007
An interactive, in-depth map that offers a look at the lives claimed by violence on the streets of Boston this year. |
Countdown to coverage
On July 1, state law requires every adult to have health insurance if affordable plans are available. There are many options. The following is a guide to those choices. (June 2007) |
New England's war dead: Iraq
An ongoing series Scores of New Englanders have lost their lives while serving in the war in Iraq. These galleries -- organized by state -- include photos and stories of each of them, and honors them and all the others who have given their lives in action. |
The 45th parallel: Warming where we live
An occasional series Keene, N.H., has realized that a publicity campaign is not enough to get residents to conserve energy. Inconvenience, costs, and the cold have thwarted efforts. Now, the city is turning to behavioral science. |
No place like home
Joan and Jean Hanlon (left to right, with their father, Bob, in the middle) have lived at Fernald Development Center since they were toddlers. As debate over its closure nears a climax, Fernald's 186 residents are virtually all silent spectators. (May 2007) |
Finding her way in the clan
Twelve years after her death, Rose Kennedy's recently released diaries, letters, and personal papers reveal a more complex figure than "just an old-fashioned girl," as she sometimes styled herself. (May 2007) |
Patrick calls his first 100 days 'a heck of a ride'
Governor Deval Patrick, sworn in 100 days ago April 14 as the state's first Democratic leader in 16 years, has had a turbulent entry into the public life of the Bay State. (April 2007) |
Correction system 'mess' held inmates past their time
In what prison officials now acknowledge is one of the state's "most egregious" cases of wrongful imprisonment, Rommel Jones was held more than four years beyond his rightful sentence. (April 2007) Includes photos, documents, and follow-up reports. |
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Six-figure ZIP codes in Massachusetts Figures released by the IRS reveal which Bay State cities and towns have the highest membership in the six-figure income club -- and which are mostly shut out. Click on the links below to read a Globe analysis of the data by region, and to see the information displayed on a map. (April 2007) Boston North NorthWest West South Statewide chart |
At BU, a leader who's all ears
Robert A. Brown, who likes to be called Bob, is low-key and decidedly not flashy as Boston University's president. His goal, nevertheless, is to make BU a noisier place. (March 2007) |
Patrick shaped by father's absence
As a child, Deval Patrick (left) endured the painful absence of his father, Pat Patrick (right), a talented sax player who traveled the world. Ultimately, their complex relationship shaped the man Deval Patrick is today.(March 2007)
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Boston's Irish: The waning of the green
A two-part series Ireland's booming economy and a crackdown on illegal immigration have combined to produce a reversal of migration patterns. (March 2007) |
Four years later, antiwar activists still hopeful
Despite the growing unpopularity of the Iraq war in the US, anti-war protest groups have had relatively little success in attracting members. Here's a snapshot of the antiwar movement in Massachusetts: its members, what they've been doing, and what they hope to accomplish. (March 2007) |
Lost time
Everything changed when Eddie Greco was 10. His father, Louis, was arrested for a 1965 gangland murder in Chelsea and wrongfully convicted with three other men while FBI documents that might have helped prove their innocence remained buried in the bureau's files. (February 2007)
Photo gallery Lives spent behind bars
Video The Greco case
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Cartoon ads spur Boston bomb scare
A guerrilla marketing campaign dotted the city with battery-powered light screens, setting off fears of terrorism and shutting down major roadways and subway lines. (February 2007) |
Perks climb for region's school chiefs
School committees across Eastern Massachusetts are using a variety of perks to quietly boost superintendents' overall compensation without public scrutiny. (February 2007) Includes audio slideshows, a report from each region, and a sortable database. |
Aiming for Fame
These eight-graders' odds of getting into Boston Arts Academy are slim. Only 25 of 69 will get into dance; three of 18 will join the drummers; and 25 of 81 will be selected for theater. But all thought they stood a chance of sealing their futures if they could just make the cut. Watch as these talented youngsters try to make the grade. (February 2007) |
Patrick's right-hand men and women
Deval Patrick, the first African-American chief executive in Massachusetts history, promised to assemble a diverse team with fresh ideas to change the culture on Beacon Hill. Here is a look at who he has enlisted to help in the two months since his election. (January 2007)
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Inauguration Day in Massachusetts
Deval Patrick took the oath of office as the state's 71st governor, and the first African-American, presenting himself as a symbol of optimism and change who will restore faith in government after 16 years of Republican rule. (January 2007) |
2006: The Year in Photos
In this annual feature, take a look back on the biggest local, nation, and world events of 2006, and see the faces of some of the notable people who died this year. The top local sports events of 2006 are also included. |
After the Fall: Hip fracture's devastating toll on the elderly
A three-part series Each year, approximately 300,000 Americans over 64 break their hips -- three-quarters of them women. They are two to five times more likely to die within a year than seniors of the same age without a break. (December 2006) Includes photo galleries, graphics, and a message board |
A quiet epidemic
A two-part series Diabetes is now so widespread in Boston, particularly in minority communities, it is almost impossible to find a neighborhood untouched. (December 2006) quiz: Diabetes risk test AUDIO SLIDESHOW Looking into the diabetes problem
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Danvers blast levels plant
A massive explosion that reverberated for miles on Nov. 22 reduced a chemical plant to an ashen heap, causing such devastation that officials fear they may never be able to pinpoint the cause.
(November 2006) Includes photo galleries, NECN Video, and graphics |
Ten from 20 to 30
Baby boomers may dominate the demographic landscape in the country as a whole, but here in this city of learning and discovery, people in their 20s are at the hub of life. (November 2006) |
Christa Worthington murder trial
A jury convicted trash collector Christopher M. McCowen on Nov. 16 of the brutal rape and murder of fashion writer Christa Worthington (left), ending a sensational case that thrust a small, affluent beach town on Cape Cod into the national spotlight. (November 2006) |
Beyond the sirens: a thin curtain between living, dying
A look inside Boston's top trauma unit at Boston Medical Center, which is teeming with dramatic tales of heroics and catastrophes. (October 2006) |
Harvest break
As the need for potato-pickers declines, Maine's Aroostook County questions its autumn tradition, when teenagers work the fields. (October 2006) audio slideshow Three weeks picking potatoes in Northern Maine
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The Hancock at 30
The John Hancock tower turns 30 this week. As New England's tallest building marks its birthday, it is in the midst of metamorphosis, no longer the address of choice for one of the city's mightiest post-war powers.
(September 2006) |
Summer's end on Cuttyhunk
Each September in Gosnold, the smallest town in Massachusetts, summer residents pack up their things and head for the mainland.
After boats carry vacationers off Cuttyhunk Island, the most westward of the Elizabethan chain, the population shrinks to about 35 people.
(September 2006) |
Mapping the Money
Thousands of Massachusetts residents have donated millions of dollars to the 6 candidates for governor.
Now you can check who is contributing in your community using our donation maps. |
24/24/boston
A look at the city through 24 photos in 24 hours, midnight to 11:59 p.m. Aug. 16, 2006. |
Debtors' Hell
A Globe Spotlight Team investigation into consumer debt in the US found a system where debt collectors have a lopsided advantage, debtors are often treated shabbily by collectors and the courts, and consumers can quickly find themselves in a life-upending financial crisis. (July - August 2006) |
Big Dig tunnel collapse
A portion of the ceiling (left) in the tunnel connecting Interstate 93 north to the Ted Williams Tunnel collapsed, cascading debris onto a passing car and killing a female passenger. (July 2006)
Includes video, photos, graphics, maps, and message boards More Big Dig coverage:
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'They cared for the children'
On June 30, the adoption arm of Catholic Charities of Boston shut down, for the first time encountering a painful conflict between cultural change and Catholic doctrine that it could not resolve. (June 2006) |
In basketball and in life, she follows her dreams
For Teresa Pina, growing up in one of the toughest sections of Boston, basketball was just a vehicle to get her someplace else: Stanford University. (June 2006) |
New England flood of 2006
Torrential rains flooded parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine in May, washing out roads, flooding basements, and forcing emergency evacuations.
(May 2006) Includes photos and video |
Boston scaffolding collapse
A three-ton construction scaffold plunged April 3 from a building onto Boylston Street, killing two construction workers and a young doctor who was driving by. (April 2006)
Includes graphics, video, and audio |
Archbishop O'Malley's elevation to cardinal
On March 24, 2006, Sean Patrick O'Malley knelt before Pope Benedict XVI and received the red hat that signifies his elevation to the highest ranks of the world's largest religious denomination. (March - April 2006)
Includes graphics and video |
Rakan's War
This is a story about a boy. His name is Rakan. He is 12 years old. He got shot in Iraq. And for five months, a medical team in Boston tried to put him back together again. (February 2006) Includes audio slideshows |
The Best Globe Photos of 2005
A house coated in ice. A gaggle of gorgeous promgoers. A fire-ravaged church. These are just a few of the memorable pictures captured in 2005 by Globe photographers. For this special issue of the Globe Magazine, they take us behind the lens and share how they got their shots. (January 2006) |
Women in Science
Harvard President Lawrence Summers spent 2005 in a swirl of controversy after his remarks about why there are so few women in the top echelons of science. These stories look at women scientists' careers and lives, and ways some institutions are encouraging them. (January - December 2005) |
Last Letters, Last Words
For those from New England who died in Iraq in 2005, their final messages - from the mundane to the profound - are reminders of the lives they left behind. (December 2005) |
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Boston's Homicides 2005
Boston's homicide rate surged to a 10-year high in 2005. The violence has unleashed anguished cries from victims' relatives, pleas from politicians and clergy, and a new federal law enforcement strategy to flood the most violent neighborhoods with specially trained drug and weapons agents. See photos and read bios of the 75 people killed in Boston last year. (December 2005) |
Knit by love and home turf
While thousands of Irish-Americans have left Dorchester since the 1970s, the Baker family decided to stay. What stands out is that so many of them still live in Dorchester: Jack and Eileen Baker and 10 of their 13 children. (December 2005) audio slideshow: The family |
2005 Year in Photos
From local politics and record-high levels of violence, to natural disasters, to terrorism and the war in Iraq, here's a look back. (December 2005) |
The making of an ICU nurse
A four-part series Julia Zelixon had just eight months to go from being a trainee fresh out of school to a nurse ready to care for the most gravely ill patients at Mass. General. (October 2005) Includes an audio slideshow and audio clips |
Menino's record
A four-part series This Globe series examines various aspects of city government under the aegis of Thomas M. Menino. (May - October 2005) |
Neighborhood watch
From West End to East Boston, Allston to Mattapan, Boston's neighborhoods have a lot to offer. This ongoing Globe Magazine series gives you a glimpse into some of these places.
(January - September 2005) |
Stories from Katrina evacuees at Camp Edwards
About 200 people displaced by Katrina made a temporary home at Camp Edwards on the Mass. Military Reservation in Bourne. Some of their stories are in this audio slideshow.
(September 2005) |
Maria's choice
When a foster child turns 18, she can try living on her own, or agree to a set of conditions for remaining in state care. (September 2005) Photos |
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A week on Lyndhurst StreetGlobal Ministries rented an apartment near a troubled Dorchester street to confront crime. Here are the daily reports. (August 2005)
Emily's StoryWhen Emily Crockett was a child, brain tumors robbed her of sight and left her partially paralyzed. Nearly 14 years later, as a Harvard student, she faced challenges that would test her and the university. (June 2005)
Immigrant labor force boomingA report says the immigrant population in Mass., already at a 50-year high, continues to swell with no signs of slowing. (June 2005)
The Gardner heistThe Globe's Stephen Kurkjian re-examines the Gardner Museum heist of 1990 - the biggest art theft in history. (March 2005)
A storyteller's tragic endingThe autopsy said Sam Holman died of a heart attack. But everyone who knew him and loved him say it was the grief and guilt at the loss of his son that squeezed the life out of him. (March 2005)
Deadly Delays:The Decline of Fire Response
As towns grow, firefighters are taking longer to get to fires. (January 2005)
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2004: The Year in ReviewIt was a year that stirred deep emotions in Mass., with the first legal same-sex marriages in the country, John Kerry's loss in the election, and the Red Sox' World Series victory. (December 2004) Includes photo galleries, video, and graphics
Best MenIn 2004, the Hyett brothers of Brookline both planned to marry. A gay wedding in May, a traditional wedding in August - a remarkable two-paned window into what marriage is, isn't, and can be. (August 2004) Includes photos and audio
Parks plan mired by turf battleA look at the effort to establish a set of parks and buildings along the strip of land created by the Big Dig. (June 2004)
Closing parishesAs the Archdiocese of Boston closes several churches, Catholics must accept that parishes will be fewer and larger. (May - June 2004)
Gay MarriageCoverage of the SJC decision on gay marriage, the effort to pass an amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and the first same-sex weddings. (November 2003 - May 2004)
Includes audio slideshows and photo galleries
Abuse in the Catholic ChurchFor years, church officials tried to keep sexual-abuse cases quiet. In this Spotlight Team investigation, which won a Pulitzer Prize for the Boston Globe, reporters shed light on Boston's predator priests, told their victims' stories, and detailed the church's coverup. (January 2002 - April 2004) Includes video documentary, interactive timeline, maps, and photo galleries
English immersion: A family's storyAs the 2003-2004 school year began, the Martinez family adjusted to the era of English immersion. (October 2003 - March 2004)
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2003 Year In ReviewThe top stories of 2003 in Mass., gay marriage and the clergy sex abuse scandal, marked the end of one saga and the dawning of another. (December 2003) Includes photo gallery
A priest, a boy, a mysteryBunny and Carl Croteau believe that the Rev. Richard R. Lavigne, a convicted child molester, murdered their son, Danny (left), in 1972. The case remains unsolved. (December 2003)
A once great industry on the brinkYears ago, the federal government took control of the region's fishing industry to save it, then presided over its collapse. (October 2003)
Barbara's storyFor nine months, the Globe followed a single mother from Mass. wrestling with the decision to give up her parental rights when the state said she was an unfit mother. (August 2003)
Speed trapA Globe analysis of traffic tickets and warnings, from every police dept. in the state, shows differences in race, sex, and age in who gets a fine and who gets a break for the same offenses. (July 2003) Includes graphics, town-by-town statistics
Bechtel's Big Dig mistakesA yearlong investigation by the Boston Globe found that over $1 billion of Big Dig cost overruns were due to errors by project managers Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff. (February 2003)
Beyond the Big DigWhat happens to the land being created by the depression of the Central Artery may be the most important development decision to face Boston in a generation. (January - April 2003)
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Adriana's TrialFor patients, clinical trials are unpredictable odysseys, excruciating ordeals, heroic fights, desperate last gasps. The Globe followed breast cancer patient Adriana Jenkins during eight months of trials. (April 2002)



































































