This Just In

MA Rideshare Drivers Begin Negotiations With Uber, Lyft For First Union Contract For Rideshare Drivers in the U.S.

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Rideshare drivers with the App Drivers Union began negotiations Wednesday (Aug. 12) with Uber & Lyft for the first-ever union contract for rideshare drivers in the United States.

“Today means a lot for all Massachusetts drivers. We have been fighting to get to this moment for a long time,” said Altagracia Urena, a rideshare driver and member of the ADU Bargaining Committee. “Now the app companies will finally have to listen to the drivers, and we can move forward in improving our pay and working conditions.”

The historic contract negotiations are part of a series of firsts for Massachusetts rideshare drivers. In May,  MA rideshare drivers won union recognition, making the App Drivers Union the first certified union of Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States. And in November 2024, MA rideshare drivers were the first in the nation to secure their union rights as part of Question 3, a landmark ballot initiative passed overwhelmingly by Bay State voters.

App Drivers Union rideshare drivers were joined by elected officials, union and community leaders for a kick-off press conference Wednesday prior to the opening bargaining session.

“This moment is personal to me because before I was a state rep, I was a rideshare driver,” said State Rep. Christopher Worrell. “I know what it feels like to sit behind a wheel. A fair contract means drivers can put food on the table. It means we can pay rents and mortgages.  It means we can take care of our children. It means we can spend money in stores, restaurants, and small businesses in our neighborhood.”

“We need the app companies to roll up their sleeves, lean forward, and strike a fair deal with the workers who are making them money,” said State Senator John Keenan. “The need to show drivers that their work is valued and that they deserve a life of dignity and respect.”

“These drivers know better than anyone what it takes to build a safer, more stable rideshare industry. A strong union contract can improve wages and working conditions, reduce turnover and keep experienced drivers on our roads,” said Mike Vartabedian, Assistant Directing Business Representative at IAM District 15 and principal officer of the App Drivers Union. “We expect the companies to come to the table in good faith and negotiate the fair first contract these drivers have earned.”

“Today, we walk into those negotiations as people whose voices finally matter. This contract isn’t just a piece of paper—it’s dignity, and it’s long overdue,” said Abdizaziz Abdiaziz Samanter, an Uber driver who drove a taxi for 11 years prior to driving for the app companies for more than a decade.

“The drivers in this room built the rideshare industry. And today they are sitting face-to-face at the bargaining table, said Autumn Weintraub, executive director of the App Drivers Union. “We are going to negotiate a fair contract for rideshare drivers that will improve the lives of 70,000 drivers. It’s time to restore balance to an industry that has forgotten whose labor built it.”

Contract negotiations for rideshare drivers in MA are being closely watched by the gig industry and by millions of rideshare drivers and gig workers who expect Massachusetts drivers may set industry standards in the groundbreaking negotiations. MA drivers are leading the nation, with hundreds of thousands of drivers not far behind. This week, 800,000 California drivers won union recognition. And in Illinois, 100,000 drivers finally won their union rights when Governor Pritzker signed the Transportation Network Driver Labor Relations Act into law.

 Rideshare drivers in the Commonwealth have been organizing for their union for years, speaking out for better pay, a fair process for deactivations, transparency around algorithms, safer working conditions, dignity on the job, and keeping human drivers behind the wheel. 

“This union and these negotiations are remarkable examples of working people meeting the challenges of today and building a better future for the workers of tomorrow, said Kevin Brousseau, Secretary-Treasurer of MA State AFL-CIO. “The Massachusetts AFL-CIO and our half a million members are standing with you as you head to the bargaining table.”

Massachusetts Teachers Association Endorses Roath For Congress

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 Patrick Roath, Democratic candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 8th District, announces the endorsement of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA).

“I’m honored to have the support of the Massachusetts Teachers Association,” Roath said in a campaign press release. “Our public schools and the educators who power them are under attack from Washington. We need representatives in Congress who will fight back. I’m proud to stand with MTA and the 117,000 educators they represent.”

The MTA endorsement is the third major union endorsement for the Roath campaign, following the Boston Teachers Union and AFT-Massachusetts.
The MTA represents 117,000 members in 400 local associations throughout Massachusetts, including teachers, faculty, professional staff, and Education Support Professionals working at public schools, colleges, and universities across the Commonwealth.
Roath has raised over $1.2 million from individual donors without accepting corporate PAC money. He has been endorsed by former Governor Deval Patrick, David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve, Indivisible, and more than 50 elected officials across the district.
The Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ 8th Congressional District is Sept. 1, 2026.

Ayers Optimistic After First Weekend Of Road Closures

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By SCOTT JACKSON

A pilot program to close portions of two roads in the Blue Hills to most vehicles this past weekend went well, Rep. Bruce Ayers said Monday. The closures will continue on weekends through early September.

“Overall, with the steps that were taken, we’re very optimistic how this is going and we’ll stay in close contact,” said Ayers (D-Quincy). “With the pre-planning, everybody seems to be pleased.”

During the pilot program, which continues through Sunday, Sept. 6, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will close Chickatawbut Road between Purgatory Road at the entrance to Pine Hill Cemetery and the Chickatawbut Overlook as well as Wampatuck Road between Chickatawbut Road and Bunker Hill Lane on weekends. Closures will begin each Friday at 5 p.m. and continue until each Sunday at 6 p.m.

Each roadway will remain accessible to hikers, walkers, cyclists and emergency vehicles throughout the closure period.

Ayers said that the feedback he received regarding this past weekend’s closure was positive overall.

“Today, my office reached out to the Quincy Police and Fire Departments, the Quincy Traffic Department, Ward 4 Councillor Ryan, abutters and residents in the Bunker Hill and Wampatuck Road neighborhoods, as well as nearby Willard Street residents,” he stated.

“The steps we have taken to notify residents and motorists appear to have helped limit disruptions. Residents in the Wampatuck and Bunker Hill Road neighborhoods have generally expressed positive feedback and said they enjoyed the peace and quiet over the weekend.

“We have also received some complaints from residents who found themselves unable to access the Blue Hills for recreation. Those residents who have reached out to our office have been provided with information regarding alternative access points to the park.

“Overall, the feedback we have received has been positive, and we will continue our outreach to constituents to gather as much feedback as possible. We intend to forward this feedback to DCR so that it can be considered as the agency evaluates the pilot and develops future management plans.

“We encourage residents to contact DCR and utilize the comment portal, which will remain open throughout the pilot, or to contact our office directly with any feedback or concerns.”

In interview on Aug. 5, two days before the pilot program began, Ayers said the goal of the road closures is to alleviate things like speeding and loud music that have impacted Quincy residents living in the area of Bunker Hill Lane. State and city officials will be gathering data during the pilot program to see how it goes.

“We’re trying to collect as much data and information we can. Both the city and the state traffic engineers are going to be tallying all the information they get. Both the state and city police chiefs, everyone has been focused on how we can minimize some of the disturbances,” Ayers said.

“The short- and long-range goal. The short range is to provide the people on the side there some protection from the drag racing, the cars, the motorcycles, the loud music, the loud exhaust. There’s been situations where there’s even been somebody coming out of a house because their kid got woken up and they’re yelling at one of the guys. It’s been a tough set up up there for years.

“So, for six years we’ve been doing this. We’ve had in the past the former DCR commissioner out there. We tried to do some preventative measures. We tried to get more designated patrols up there. We did more traffic advisories. They tried a number of different things early on before they decided to close it – it didn’t get the results they wanted.

“In the spring, they came up with a plan – they being DCR – to shut it down for the whole season but my colleagues in the House, once they found out about it, they were not onboard. Sen. Driscoll, Rep. Cusack, especially Rep. Wells from Randolph and Milton, they just saw it as being a major traffic nightmare – and they’re probably right, I didn’t want to do that either, because I knew all the traffic would probably go to other Quincy streets also.

“So, we asked them if they would just go and support the data we had collected, which was weekend nights and start it out if they agreed to it – and we lobbied hard for Fridays, Saturdays, on the weekends – to do a pilot program to see what kind of results we get.

“Long-range goal is next year we hope to have electronic gates. Right now, the goal is to provide some peace and quiet, some public protection up in that area, public safety with the closure.

“There’s also ways people can weigh in. There’s a portal so when it starts – and I’m sure there’s going to be some disturbances whenever you interrupt a traffic pattern – people can weigh in. They can go directly to DCR. They can call. I’ve been working, like I said, with the local officials, the ward councillor, and the traffic and police, fire.

“One of the things that came up was emergency access. They all have access to go up to the Blue Hills, go through the Blue Hills, whatever is needed. God forbid there is an ambulance that has to cut through to go to Milton Hospital or if there is a fire up there or something goes on, they can open up the gate and get out.”

Measures to alert motorists of the change were set to begin the day before the first closure, Ayers added.

“We’re going to be taking preventive measures, you’ll probably see them starting I think tomorrow (Aug. 6), with some of the traffic signals letting them know the closures are going to be happening,” he said. “We’re going to put a lot of no parking signs around Bunker Hill and Wampatuck so people on the weekend who want to go up there and hike or whatever they do won’t be parking in front of all the neighbors’ houses. There’s a lot of things we tried to factor in to address everything.”

DCR had hosted a community meeting in July to gather feedback from the public on the proposal. Ayers said people were split on the proposal.

“It was a Zoom meeting but it was pretty well attended, got a lot of good feedback. I think people were split,” he said. “A lot of people that, of course, lived in the neighborhood were happy. Some of them felt it didn’t go far enough – they wanted it shut down every single night – but it’s really hard to start. You’ve got to start somewhere, so this was a way to provide some relief and to get some more community input.

“Other people thought there might have been other ways around it by increasing patrols or putting more speedbumps, but we’ve already tried that.”

In the interview Ayers noted that one of his colleagues, Rep. Richard Wells (D-Milton), was concerned about access to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton. Ayers said he had asked DCR to limit the size of the road closures so access to the hospital could be maintained.

“One big issue you might hear, my colleague Dick Wells, who is a great guy, he’s a former police chief. He was against it and his concern was he didn’t want it completely closed – in all fairness just so you know the pros and the cons – and his complaint was if there was an emergency situation someone couldn’t cut through to go to Milton Hospital or go to an area like that.

“I asked DCR if they would incorporate his concern into the plan because it seemed like it would be logical, if we’re only trying to protect the people on Bunker Hill Lane, to just block it at the beginning of Bunker Hill Lane to where it connects with Chickatawbut. That way you could still get access.”

MA Department of Public Health Launches Statewide Community Health Equity Survey

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is inviting residents across the state to help shape future public health decisions by participating in the 2026 Community Health Equity Survey. The anonymous survey will help inform policies, programs, and services by gathering information about residents’ experiences, needs, and priorities.

 Building on findings from the 2020 and 2023 survey cycles, the 2026 Community Health Equity Survey(opens in new tab) (CHES) will continue to assess and address social and structural factors that affect health among Massachusetts residents aged 12 years and older, with a focus on communities disproportionately impacted by structural racism and other drivers of health inequity.

 The survey is part of DPH’s Community Health Equity Initiative(opens in new tab) (CHEI), which uses community engagement and data to better understand the health of Massachusetts residents and the barriers that affect it.

 “The Community Health Equity Initiative offers residents across Massachusetts a real voice in shaping the public health priorities that affect their lives,” saidPublic Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “At a moment when trust in public institutions is fragile and too many communities feel overlooked or under threat, CHEI represents an important way to listen and to hear. Public health works only when people believe in it. By pairing the lived experiences of residents with rigorous data, CHEI helps us build strategies that are more responsive, more equitable, and more worthy of trust.”

The survey launched July 31 and will remain open through November 2026. Co-designed with residents and community partners across Massachusetts, the survey builds on findings from the previous cycles while examining residents’ priorities, experiences, and needs in today’s environment.

 Both the 2020 and 2023 surveys generated invaluable data that continue to inform where investments are allocated, programs are developed, and services are provided. Findings are available on the mass.gov/chei(opens in new tab) webpage in various formats, including dashboards(opens in new tab), data tables, and reports. So far, more than 150 organizations across the state have accessed CHEI data to advance their work, including to secure grant funding, inform programming, and advocate for policies that improve the well-being of their communities.

 New topics in the 2026 survey include residents’ immigration experiences and the mental health impacts of recent immigration policies and practices, alongside questions about access to healthcare, housing, transportation, education, employment, and other factors that influence health.

 The Community Health Equity Survey is voluntary, anonymous, does not ask for identifying information, such as immigration status, and cannot be connected back to residents in any way.

 DPH wants to hear from a broad range of Massachusetts residents, including people and communities often disproportionately impacted by health inequities and that are often underrepresented in traditional health data systems. These communities include older adults (aged 60+), parents and caregivers of children and youth with special healthcare needs, youth and young adults (aged 12 to 24), people identifying as LGBTQ+, people of color, people with disabilities, people whose primary language is not English, people with immigration experience, pregnant people and parents of young children, rural residents, and veterans.

 Massachusetts residents aged 12 and older can take the survey. It takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete and is available in the following languages: Arabic, American Sign Language (ASL), Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), English, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

 CHES 2026 results and resources will be made available online to the public starting in 2027.

 To participate in the Community Health Equity Survey, visit mass.gov/HealthSurvey(opens in new tab).

AAA Northeast: Be Wary of Flood-Damaged Cars Hitting the Market

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Flash flooding that impacted Massachusetts in recent days may have an additional consequence: flooded vehicles making their way to the used car market. Over 480,000 flooded vehicles nationwide were back in use in 2025, up 6% from 2024, according to CARFAX(opens in new tab).

Floodwater can compromise a vehicle’s mechanical and electrical components, potentially damaging the engine, exhaust system, wires, brakes, airbag system and more. Mold and mildew inside the vehicle can also cause health concerns.

Insurance companies often declare flood-damaged vehicles as total losses, and many are sent to auto recyclers for dismantling. However, vehicles assigned a salvage title may be refurbished and reenter  the marketplace. But without trusted documentation, water-damaged vehicles can be difficult to identify.

AAA Northeast offers the following tips for spotting a flood-damaged vehicle:

  • Check for damp or musty odors inside the vehicle.
  • Pull back the carpet to look for mud, rust or water stains, especially in used cars where the carpet has been replaced or recently shampooed.
  • Open the trunk, hood and doors to inspect for debris or corrosion on the door frames, hinges and under the weather stripping. Check for rust on the underside of the vehicle.
  • Check for brittle wires under the dashboard.
  • Inspect the engine air filter for signs of water damage or staining.
  • Look for fog or moisture in the interior and exterior lights, as well as the instrument panel.
  • Check all warning lights, window motors, air conditioning and other electrical components to ensure they’re working properly. While a malfunctioning part alone doesn’t indicate flood damage, combined with other signs of potential water damage, it could be a cause for concern.
  • If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Used car prices remain historically high, CARFAX reports. Find a reputable dealership when looking to purchase a used car.

Consider acquiring a CARFAX Vehicle History Report(opens in new tab) before purchasing a used vehicle. The report may reveal if the car was involved in a flood or issued a salvage title. Potential buyers can also have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic at a AAA Approved Auto Repair Facility(opens in new tab).

Senators Markey, Warren, Reps. Keating, Lynch Urge FEMA to Rescind Decision to Cancel Coastal Recovery Projects

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Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with and Representatives Bill Keating (MA-09) and Stephen Lynch (MA-08) urged Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 1 Acting Regional Administrator Jarrett Devine to rescind the decision to cancel coastal recovery projects in Massachusetts. Seven communities—Marshfield, Scituate, Hull, Quincy, Nahant, Gloucester, and Rockport—now face financial uncertainty in their paths to recover from extreme storms.

On July 13, 2026, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) received a letter from FEMA Region 1 detailing its decision to cancel coastal recovery projects associated with four previous storms. The projects now in jeopardy include repairs to stormwalls, revetments, outfalls, and other critical infrastructure damaged by extreme weather. These harmful consequences will financially burden communities and result in the potential termination of these projects, putting residents and our coasts at unnecessary risk.

“The decision to cancel these ongoing disaster recovery projects is arbitrary, reckless, and harmful,” said the lawmakers. “FEMA’s purpose should be to help communities recover after major disasters, and that is not a promise being upheld today. We urge FEMA to restore this funding, so our coasts and communities are adequately protected from extreme weather.”

Healey Demands Trump Administration Reverse Termination of Millions in Disaster Recovery Funds for Massachusetts Communities

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Governor Maura Healey is demanding the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) reverse its decision to effectively cancel more than $7 million in federal disaster recovery funding from Massachusetts communities.

The funding is being used to repair coastal infrastructure that sustained significant damage in Hurricane Sandy and several other major severe winter storms, such as seawalls and stone revetments. These projects protect homes, businesses, roads, utilities and public spaces from coastal erosion, flooding and future storms while strengthening the long-term resilience of Massachusetts communities.

The impacted projects include:

  • Gloucester ($383,182): Repairing the stone barrier at Cressy Beach.
  • Hull ($485,102): Repairing the seawall along Gunrock Avenue at Crescent Beach.
  • Marshfield: Repairing multiple seawalls and shoreline protections along Ocean Street and Foster Avenue.
  • Nahant ($71,500): Repairing the seawall and beach access stairs at 40 Steps Beach.
  • Quincy ($595,118): Repairing and rebuilding sections of the seawall in Hough’s Neck along Manet and Nut Avenues.
  • Rockport ($2.76 million): Repairing the seawall at Long Beach.
  • Scituate ($2.89 million): Repairing and rebuilding seawalls, stone barriers and beach access points at Surfside Road, First Cliff, Second Cliff, Third Cliff, Minot Beach and Glades Beach.

MEMA has notified the affected municipalities and will continue assisting communities with extension requests and appeals.

“Just weeks after President Trump rejected disaster relief for Massachusetts communities impacted by this winter’s storms, he’s now threatening to terminate funding that cities and towns have been relying on for years to advance critical coastal infrastructure repair projects,” said Governor Healey. “This makes no sense and is making all of our communities less safe. I urge FEMA to reverse this decision and make sure this funding continues to flow to our municipalities as promised so that they can protect their residents and infrastructure.”

“Public safety doesn’t begin when a storm makes landfall. It begins with preparing communities before disaster strikes,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon. “These projects strengthen the infrastructure that protects residents, supports first responders and helps communities withstand increasingly severe weather. Canceling funding would make our communities less safe and put critical resilience projects at risk. Our municipal partners deserve the federal support they were promised to complete these essential public safety projects.”

“These are essential projects designed to protect people and property from increasingly stronger storms that can overwhelm aging infrastructure,” said MEMA Director Dawn Brantley. “Projects like this are particularly challenging given their locations and importance. They were approved following destructive storms in order to build more resilient communities. When legitimate project challenges occur, communities need to be allowed the time to ensure the projects are completed and are done right.”

FEMA recently notified the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) that it intends to deny additional time for disaster recovery projects related to Hurricane Sandy, the February 2013 severe winter storm, the January 2015 severe winter storm and the March 2018 severe winter storm. Without those extensions, communities could lose federal funding for projects that are still moving through the required design, permitting and construction process.

Many of the affected projects have taken years to advance because they involve repairing complex coastal infrastructure and require extensive engineering, environmental review and state and federal permitting before construction can begin. Several projects are now nearing construction after completing those requirements.

If FEMA moves forward with this decision, communities could lose funding they have been counting on for years. They could also be forced to repay federal money that has already been spent, leaving local taxpayers responsible for planning, engineering, design and construction costs that communities incurred while following FEMA’s own disaster recovery process.

AAA Offers Tips for Vehicle Owners Following Downpours and Flooding

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As the area dries out from torrential rains that brought flash flooding across Massachusetts, AAA Northeast is reminding drivers of the impact flooded roads can have on their vehicles. All too often, people underestimate the depth or force of flood waters and find themselves stranded and facing costly auto repairs.
Just six inches of water can cause a car to lose control and stall an engine. And 12 inches of water on a roadway is enough to lift a car and carry it away. Large SUVs and trucks can be moved in just two feet of water.
AAA offers these reminders for drivers:
  • An engine can ingest water even driving through what looks like a deep puddle. If this happens, the engine can become hydro-locked and destroyed.
  • After driving through deep water, brakes will be wet and might not perform as expected right away. Gently apply the brakes and brake early and gently to dry them off.
  • Hot brake rotors can warp when they encounter cold flood water.
  • Flood damage to a vehicle is typically covered by comprehensive insurance policies. Call your insurance company to understand what’s covered and take detailed photos of the vehicle, inside and out, before attempting cleaning or repairs.
  • If your car was submerged while parked and the engine was not turned on, have the car towed to a trusted repair facility to be inspected and serviced before attempting to start the car. Draining and replacing engine oil, coolant and other fluids may be required if the car is repairable.
  • Water damage may not be immediately apparent. Over time, components that were exposed to water can corrode, causing frustrating and expensive problems down the line. Inspect, clean and dry any electrical system components and connections.
  • Moisture trapped deep in the recesses of a car can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Pay attention to any odors and moisture on interior surfaces, particularly when the car is parked with the windows closed for a period of time.
  • Following heavy storms, be on the lookout for new potholes caused by fast-moving rainwater and be cautious before driving through a puddle, which might conceal a deep pothole below the water’s surface.
During periods of intense rain, drivers should remember to always adjust their approach to driving. Slow down, increase following distance and never ignore warning signs or roadblocks. A road can become flooded within just minutes of a downpour, so it’s critical that drivers pay attention to emergency weather alerts and follow detours to avoid a dangerous situation.

From Lagoon to Empire: The Story of Venice At Crane Library Aug. 3

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The Thomas Crane Public Library invites the public to a talk entitled From Lagoon to Empire: The Story of Venice(opens in new tab), on Monday, Aug. 3, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Learn how Venice went from a floating city and rose to rule the seas – and still fights to survive. The event will take place at the Main Library on 40 Washington St. in Quincy Center.

Presented in partnership with UMass Boston’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and led by speaker Michael J. Ranieri, the talk traces the remarkable 1,500-year journey of Venice from a desperate refuge built on mudflats after the fall of the Roman Empire to a dominant maritime and commercial power that connected Europe with the riches of the East.

Told in four acts, the program shows how geography, trade, naval innovation, and pragmatic politics created a tiny but global empire; how that wealth was transformed into unparalleled art, architecture, music, and civic culture; how shifting world trade and Napoleon’s conquest ended the republic; and how the city has continually reinvented itself to survive modern threats from mass tourism to rising seas. It is a story of resilience, ingenuity, and identity, revealing how a city with almost no natural advantages became one of history’s most influential and enduring places.

Michael J. Ranieri graduated from St. Francis College in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in history and from St. John’s University in New York with a Masters in Chinese studies in 1974 where he also taught Chinese History and Mandarin. He is currently president of the board directors of the Italian Cultural Society of Naples, Fl., Inc.

This program is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library. To find out more about their work and how you can get involved, visit the Friends of the Library webpage(opens in new tab).

Visit the library’s Events Calendar(opens in new tab) for more info and more great happenings at TCPL.

Quincy Residents To Participate in 2026 Pan-Mass Challenge to Support Cancer Research

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This Aug. 1 and 2, the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) will bring together more than 6,000 cyclists and 4,000 volunteers on Aug. 1-2 to raise money for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Participants from local communities will be among those helping support the PMC’s mission to fund lifesaving cancer research and treatment.

Participants from Quincy include:

Miguel Sanchez of North Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MS0863)

Barbara Tynan of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/BT0007)

Sean Noonan of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/SN0150)

Mike Kearney of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MK0470)

Margaret O’Connor of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MO0057)

Johnna Barry of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/JB0755)

Connor Norton of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/CN0105)

Patrick Dehner of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/PD0269)

Kerry Leonard of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/KL0367)

Calvin Schoenthaler of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/CS0658)

Russell Haddad of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/RH0325)

Lauren Langbert of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/LL0081)

Courtney Witham of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/CW0270)

Annmarie White of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/AW0008)

James Swiatkowski of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/JS1187)

Mark Daniel of QUINCY (https://profile.pmc.org/MD0625)

Ricky Cushing of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/RC0367)

Mark Meehan of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MM1111)

Lewuan Harris of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/KH0422)

Oscar Lee of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/OL0012)

Christopher Veneto of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/CV0108)

Isaella Luciano of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/BL0296)

Alexandra Caggiano of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/LC0447)

Eric Germain of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/EG0232)

Brent Sturtevant of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/BS0554)

Jacquelyn Eleey of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/JE0182)

Alison Vitello of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/AV0112)

Pamela Ahmad of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/PA0124)

Chrissy Shah of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/CS0431)

Robin Franceschini of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/RF0062)

Mary Ryan of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MR0185)

Matthew Maderos of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/MM0441)

Lauren White of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/LW0156)

Brooke Kennedy of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/BL0146)

Dinesh Joshi of Quincy (https://profile.pmc.org/DJ0100)

The PMC, which raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraiser in the world, is aiming to raise more than ever this year, with a fundraising goal of $79 million.

This year’s PMC comes at an especially critical time, with federal research support shrinking, grant approval rates reaching historic lows, and cancer cases continuing to rise. For the 20th consecutive year, 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar will go directly to Dana-Farber, one of the nation’s top three hospitals for cancer research and care.

“The theme for this year’s PMC, which is ‘now, more than ever,’ underscores the paramount importance of every single dollar raised in fueling the search for a cure,” said Billy Starr, founder and chairman of the PMC. “We are endlessly grateful to every rider, volunteer, donor, and sponsor who makes the PMC possible. Because of their training miles, long hours of volunteering, generous support, and unwavering commitment, we are moving ever closer to a world without cancer.”

Since its inception in 1980, the PMC has raised $1.125 billion for Dana-Farber, making it the organization’s largest single contributor and accounting for 67 percent of the annual revenue of The Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber’s community-driven fundraising arm. This unrestricted annual funding has empowered and accelerated advancements in cancer research, deeply benefitting patients across the world.

During each annual PMC weekend, thousands of cyclists and volunteers come together from across the world, hailing from 47 US states and 12 countries, with a shared purpose of raising as much money as possible for Dana-Farber. Cyclists ride routes ranging from 25 to 177 miles. Included among these participants is the PMC Living Proof community, riders and volunteers who were previously treated or are currently undergoing cancer treatment and serve as Living Proof of the progress made through raising funds for cancer research and treatment.

There is still time to participate in this year’s Pan-Mass Challenge. Folks interested in getting involved can learn more and register at PMC.org.