New rules set off rush to prepay taxes

NEEDHAM, MA - 9/13/2017: A view of a home in the neighborhood of the construction project. A controversial 136-unit Chapter 40B project is under construction in Needham, replacing two single family homes on six acres at 692 and 744 Greendale Ave.(David L Ryan/Globe Staff ) SECTION: REGIONAL TOPIC 01chapter40b

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

To the bewilderment of municipal workers, taxpayers are dropping off checks to beat changes contained in the sweeping federal tax bill passed this week by Congress.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/3239d42c-92e8-48d1-bd0c-4b7d9afc5778.jpg Congress takes a holiday break with much to do in new year

The Republican-led Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays.

A note to Globe readers about our sexual harassment coverage

The editor of The Boston Globe confirms the identity of a former Globe journalist and addresses questions about the paper?s recent coverage.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/DRkBNlaW4AARLzU.jpg Snow, ice, and freezing rain could make holiday travel harder this weekend

A chilly mixture of snow, ice, and freezing rain could give travelers a bad start to their holiday weekend in Massachusetts.

Dave Epstein

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/image1-11949.png A day-by-day look at the weather through Christmas

Presently it looks like snow will break out after midnight Christmas Eve, but the storm is still four days away. and things could change.

Wintry weather brings school closings, early dismissals

One to three inches of snow could fall in parts of the region Friday, followed by freezing rain and sleet, according to the National Weather Service.

Home for the holidays

Logan Airport?s Terminal E may be one of the happiest places on Earth, as friends, families, and lovers reunite with weary travelers from far away.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/a8b98a7edc2f4026bb15dddff818f528-a8b98a7edc2f4026bb15dddff818f528-0.jpg Is an anti-Trump wave ahead for GOP in 2018? Signs say yes

President Trump is spending the holiday season reveling in his tax overhaul victory, but the new year may bring bad tidings.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/19123afed55c4edaa662c6752c66c40d-19123afed55c4edaa662c6752c66c40d-0.jpg White House considers separating families to combat illegal immigration

The Trump administration is considering a new policy that would separate parents from their children when families are caught entering the country illegally.

Francisco Rodriguez.

KEVIN CULLEN

For one family in Chelsea, a Feliz Navidad

Francisco Rodriguez is the human face of a heartless, cynical, numbers-driven roundup of hard-working undocumented immigrants.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/davis_sleigh1_met.jpg ?Won?t you guide my sleigh tonight??

Almost a full week before Christmas, the Wakefield Santa Sleigh Special Delivery, led by a reindeer team of nine men and women, traveled about six miles to deliver toys to families in need.

A doorman checked a woman identification outside the Royale and Candibar nightclubs on Tremont St. in the Theater District in Boston.

Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff/file 2016

Things That Work

Could a ?night mayor? awaken Boston?s sleepy night life?

Boston?s reputation for a sleepy, sometimes underwhelming night life has long been a buzzkill.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/697b53dc25fa4655b7e592e77daf3696-697b53dc25fa4655b7e592e77daf3696-15161.jpg Hall of Fame sportscaster Dick Enberg dead at 82

Enberg got his big break with UCLA basketball and went on to call Super Bowls, Olympics, Final Fours and Angels and Padres baseball games.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/f41675badf0c41f89c5e1c4bb5d484dd-f41675badf0c41f89c5e1c4bb5d484dd-0.jpg Miss America Organization loses TV partner over emails

Dick Clark Productions says it has cut ties with the Miss America Organization over internal emails by pageant senior leadership that ridiculed past winners? appearance, intelligence and sex lives.

JEFF JACOBY

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Ideas/Images/Jeff_Jacoby_150px-1179.jpg Nikki Haley, the Trump administration?s breakout star

The former governor came to the job of UN ambassador with no foreign policy experience. She turned out to be a natural.

Pope Francis (center) attended the funeral mass of cardinal Bernard Law at St Peter's basilica in Vatican.

Pope takes part in disgraced Cardinal Law?s funeral

The funeral was not broadcast on the Vatican?s live stream as anticipated, although official statements on Law?s funeral never explicitly stated that it would be viewable online.

hiawatha bray | tech lab

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/bray-6364.jpg The software that runs our lives can be bigoted and unfair. But we can fix it

Automated decision systems are in wide use. But what if the computer relied on data that was tilted against certain races or nations of origin?

Alex Guerrero (left) is Tom Brady?s personal trainer.

Dan Shaughnessy

Is Brady?s loyalty to Guerrero summoning storm clouds over Gillette?

Tom Brady is turning into Tom Cruise ? it?s only a matter of time before he jumps on the couch with Oprah in defense of Alex Guerrero.

Knicks 102, Celtics 93

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/Rex_Boston_Celtics_at_New_York_Knick_9299856B.jpg Celtics fall to Knicks for second straight loss

Michael Beasley carried New York, scoring 28 of his 32 points in the second half.

BRUINS INSTANT ANALYSIS

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/Tlumacki_BruinsvsJets_sports560copy.jpg Tuukka Rask saves Bruins in win over Winnipeg

Rask stopped 37 of 38 shots.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/MGM%20Springfield%20Lobby%20Final%20Renderings%201.jpg An early look inside the MGM Springfield casino design

MGM Springfield is drawing inspiration from famous locals as it prepares for its grand 2018 opening.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Clipboard-12146.jpg Water fountains, cafe, restrooms closed temporarily at Boston Public Library

Authorities are flushing out an anti-corrosion agent used in the steam heating system that leaked into the hot water pipes.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/1ee040c5a5074acd8469fb6b55631710-1ee040c5a5074acd8469fb6b55631710-0.jpg Hollywood accusers named AP Entertainers of the Year

Arguably the biggest thing that came from Hollywood this year wasn?t a movie or a TV show. It had heroines and villains, but no script. And it went viral despite having no big publicity machinery behind it.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/22/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/154321b57fe84e39bbdce35dec976ab6-b43f9041290440b5a298fd9c16c1fd50-0.jpg What makes Will Smith?s world ?Bright? ? money, he jokes

So goes Will Smith?s tongue-in-cheek summation of why he took on what has turned into one of the worst reviewed films of the season, the big-budget Netflix release ??Bright.??

Globe Santa

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Saglio_LyndonSchool-1.jpg The Lyndon School spreads Globe Santa cheer with silly hats, holiday concerts

Since 1961 Boston Public School students, families, and employees have donated some $550,000 to Globe Santa.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/WebGraphics/Sports/BostonGlobe.com/2016/01/20moresports/seasonticket_90.jpg The Season Ticket podcast

Dan Shaughnessy joins host Chris Gasper to discuss Bill Belichick?s decision to curb the privileges of Tom Brady?s personal guru, Alex Guerrero.

Follow:   iTunes   |   Stitcher   |   RSS

 

Opinion & Ideas

EDITORIAL

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/b4ad189ac20449cc8cf33faf851a780b-b4ad189ac20449cc8cf33faf851a780b-0.jpg Donald Trump?s tax bill ponies up for RE cronies

The White House insists the tax bill will be a drain on Donald Trump?s finances, when the opposite is plainly true.

Newsletters

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/19/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/gronk.jpg Breaking sports alerts

Gronk is catching, Kyrie is soaring, Pastrnak is scoring ? and maybe the Sox are dealing? Don?t miss any of the action. Sign up today.

Special reports

Magazine | A nonfiction novella

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/11/01/BostonGlobe.com/Magazine/Images/muck1105altimage-2940[1].jpg He put BSO on the map ? then landed in a world of trouble

One hundred years ago, one of the world?s top conductors was ensnared in a scandal involving patriotism and sex. It almost toppled Boston?s famed orchestra.

Breaking News Alerts

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Get the latest news ? from weather to Trump to local happenings ? delivered via Facebook messenger.

Confidential tips

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/05/22/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/spotlight.jpg Have an investigative news tip?

Do you know about wrongdoing that needs to be exposed? Call the Globe Spotlight team: 617-929-7483 or [email protected].

STAT

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/21/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/Fragile%20skin.jpg A little boy?s fragile skin and stunted growth spur a search for answers

From his birth until his diagnosis almost eight years later, a little boy and his family endured an onslaught of symptoms.

Cars

Search This Week's Specials

The 2017 Shelby GT350 is powerful, fast, and loud

Boston.com Cars is your go-to resource for coverage of local car news, events, and reviews. In the market for a car or truck? Check out our new car specials and used car specials curated by our local dealer network. There are dozens of words that come to mind when attempting to describe the 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, but [?]