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McKinney Likely to Be On Primary Ballot Although the mainstream media - and the Republican Party - have ignored him, Bill McKinney of Dedham looks like he will be on the Republican Primary ballot next month. At 4 p.m. on Monday, McKinney told the BHB, “We’re going to make it. We’re at 2004 right now. It was touch and go for a while,” he admitted. Candidates needed 2,000 certified signatures on nomination papers yesterday. Town and City election officials must turn the papers in to the Secretary of State’s office today. Asked if he was surprised that the
Republican Party is already announcing it’s support
for his primary opponent, Sen. JoAnn Sprague (R-Walpole),
McKinney said, “I was that they would do that when
there is going to be a primary. Maybe they thought I
wouldn’t make the ballot." The primary is Sept. 11. Shared Parenting Gets Boost From 14-Year-Old Clayton Giles, the 14-year-old Canadian who is biking 3,600 to collect signatures for a petition advocating shared parenting and family court reform, will be in Worcester and Boston this week. According to a press release issued yesterday by Fatherhood advocacy groups, “Local supporters of Clayton's unique mission are inviting all parents and children affected by divorce, as well as local officials and state representatives, to come to a picnic and sign Clayton's petition from noon to 8 p.m.” "Journey for Kids is dedicated to every child of separation or divorce," says Clayton. "We want those who have the power to make decisions for us to consider the child's input and adopt the principle that, except in extraordinary cases, parenting should always be shared by both our parents. Access to both our parents is the Human Right of every child." Legislature Fails to Act on Interim Budget It was a slow day at the State House, but there was supposed to be some action. Gov. Jane Swift filed a fourth, two-week interim budget last Friday, and the plan was for the Legislature to move it through the process on Monday. But an apparent oversight resulted in both chambers adjourning after mere minutes without so much as admitting the bill, which provides $915,000 to fund state government operations through Aug. 25. Swift warns in her message to lawmakers that the bill needs to be enacted by Friday, Aug. 10, and the Governor’s Legislative Office clarified that that’s because state finance law requires money to be in place before next week’s checks can be cut - state employee paychecks, welfare checks and other state-funded benefits. Both the House and Senate will be in session informally on Thursday, so expect to see the bill fly through the legislative process. The full fiscal 2002 state budget is now 37 days late. By Curt Lovelace From staff reports and the State House News Service Extra, extra! Read all about it! >>> BHB Extra |
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