Will MBTA fare hike prod Beacon Hill to take action?

The T?s latest fare hike has revitalized a long-simmering debate over how to fund the state?s transportation infrastructure going forward.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Clipboard-22348.jpg No progress in the achievement gap in 50 years, new study says

Harvard and Stanford researchers say disadvantaged students are still three to four years behind their affluent peers.

MIAA SUPER 8 FINAL | BC HIGH 2, POPE FRANCIS 1 (4OT)

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/18/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/lee031719bchpope9SPTS.jpg BC High goes four overtimes to repeat as Super 8 hockey champions

Freshman Declan Loughnane tallied with 5:38 left in the fourth OT as the Eagles defended their Super 8 title in the longest game in MIAA history.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2016/12/15/BostonGlobe.com/Lifestyle/Images/blanding12141615patriotsday8names.jpg Dropkick Murphys? Ken Casey got into a scuffle at the band?s Friday House of Blues show

?Basically, guy was attacking fans and I was trying to defend them,? the bassist and singer told the Globe.

Fair Haven, VT--03/12/2019--Lincoln, a three-year-old goat, was sworn in as the mayor of Fair Haven, VT on Tuesday evening. (Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe) Topic: 13goatmayor Reporter:

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

The goat mayor of this Vermont town is a sensation

An honorary pet election in the small town of Fair Haven, Vermont, has drawn attention from media outlets across the world. The winner was Lincoln, a 3-year-old Nubian goat, who beat out a field including a dog, a gerbil, and other critters.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/13/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/wiggs_Manna_03.jpg Marijuana treatment could act as ?sexual enhancement?

A Worcester startup is working with a Los Angeles urologist who oversaw clinical trials of Viagra and Cialis on a new product that they hope could help women?s sex lives.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/02/28/BostonGlobe.com/Ideas/Images/blanding11-4-201705startsmet-001.jpg MBTA to resume Blue Line service on Monday morning

The agency began running shuttle busses along the line on Saturday after Friday?s 9-alarm fire in East Boston led to flooding along the track, officials said.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/02/27/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/tlumackiBNN306.jpg Cable access stations are facing a financial reckoning

Community television stations are contending with industry trends and regulatory changes that are threatening their financial support.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/KREITER01142019harvardpilgrim4-6921.jpg Harvard Pilgrim?s new CEO seeks to improve insurer?s health

Michael Carson has helped to engineer a financial turnaround, but big challenges remain

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/e40eeed84ab94af2af106f8ef0093e88-e40eeed84ab94af2af106f8ef0093e88-0.jpg Puzzling number of men tied to Ferguson protests have died

Two young men were found dead inside torched cars. Three others died of apparent suicides. Another collapsed on a bus, his death ruled an overdose.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/4cffe44a54d541b8bb7ed3a05cb7f056-6228649b308d422ca80ecf711c6615a3-0.jpg White House aide says Trump ?is not a white supremacist?

Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, rejected attempts to tie President Trump to the New Zealand shooter.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/1591c39ebc664400b77bb2d6baee420e-1591c39ebc664400b77bb2d6baee420e-0.jpg Fox News bumps Jeanine Pirro?s show after anti-Muslim remarks

Jeanine Pirro is off Fox News prime time ? for one night, at least.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/16/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/b51620011ca04d2a92d17c01ad8f449a-b51620011ca04d2a92d17c01ad8f449a-0.jpg Twin 6-year-old boys, 25-year-old man identified as victims of Pittsfield fire

The twin boys, Kasper and Sylas Stone, and Austin Grzelak were killed after a candle or smoking material started a fire in the master bedroom, officials said.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/200_james_eckert.jpg New Hampshire man allegedly shot by 11-year-old dies

James Eckert was pronounced dead late Friday, hours after he and his wife, Lizette, were found shot. Lizette Eckert was pronounced dead at the scene.

Boston, MA--03/17/2019--People in the St. Patrick's Day parade wave to the crowd while holding flags on Sunday afternoon. (Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe) Topic: 18parade Reporter:

Nathan Klima for The Boston Glob

Onlookers showed their colors during Boston?s St. Patrick?s Day Parade.

Boston, MA--03/17/2019--A Marine Corps marching band walks the parade route on St. Patrick's Day in South Boston. (Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe) Topic: 18parade Reporter:

Nathan Klima for The Boston Glob

A Marine Corps marching band was in formation.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Olivia Sandor, on flute, and the Allentown Redbird Band were in the parade.

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

A pipe and drum band was part of Boston?s St. Patrick?s Day Parade.

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

Onlookers at street level and above watched.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Brothers Jahcobi Hibbert, 7, left, and Jasper Hibbert, 5, took it all in. They?re from Hillsboro, N.H.

Boston, MA--03/17/2019--Steve Marsters holds his 16-month-old daughter, Madelyn, during the St, Patricks Day parade in South Boston on Sunday afternoon. (Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe) Topic: 18parade Reporter:

Nathan Klima for The Boston Glob

Steve Marsters held his 16-month-old daughter, Madelyn.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

The day was crisp, but with spring-like sunny skies.

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh was part of the scene.

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

Governor Charlie Baker and his wife Lauren Baker walked in the parade.

Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe

The day was a good one to build up a thirst.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Lexington's 10th Regiment of Foot participated.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Army Specialist Layla Dos Santos waited for the parade?s start.

St. Patrick?s Day Parade: Still green but more inclusive

Onlookers lined the streets on a crisp and sunny day as Boston once again saw its traditional St. Patrick?s Day Parade.

New host, new venue, familiar jokes at annual St. Patrick?s Day Breakfast

The event?s first-time host, state Senator Nick Collins, took a genial approach to his duties, with gentle jabs at his colleagues? ambitions for higher office, policy positions, and personal foibles.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/17/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/1136226225.jpg To celebrate St. Patrick?s Day, the GOP Photoshopped a leprechaun hat on Beto O?Rourke and implored him to drink responsibly

The GOP has gone after O?Rourke?s drinking record in the past, though this appears to be the first time Republicans have conflated it with his Irish ancestry.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2018/05/20/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/c96840767d62468282e449be65d01aca-c96840767d62468282e449be65d01aca-0.jpg Trump rails against ?SNL? after show airs a rerun

In a pair of tweets, Trump accused the popular sketch comedy series of ?collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia.?

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Teammates RJ Barrett #5 and Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils react after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

JOE SULLIVAN | NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ANALYSIS

They might as well rename it the ACC Tournament

Three of the top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament field are from the powerhouse Atlantic Coast Conference.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl celebrates with Horace Spencer (0) and Samir Doughty (10) after beating Tennessee in the NCAA college basketball Southeastern Conference championship game Sunday, March 17, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Auburn won 84-64. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

NCAA bracket: Download and print out a March Madness grid

The selections have been made. Here?s how the 2019 men?s basketball championship teams are matched up.

dan shaughnessy

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/18/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/shaughnessy-20686.jpg Here?s a reason to watch the NCAA Tournament

His name is Zion Williamson and he is a force of nature for Duke.

Sarah Stokey during 2019 Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska.

Falmouth-born musher finishes Iditarod dog race

Northeastern University graduate Sarah Stokey took 34th place in the 1,000-mile race that spans from Anchorage, Alaska, to the city of Nome.

Opinion | Brianna Wu

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/15/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/32ac1374b58744bc9690e88dc2123327-32ac1374b58744bc9690e88dc2123327-0.jpg Senator Warren is onto something: The best way to protect the tech industry is to break it up.

My industry cannot thrive without competition, but that pressure is disappearing.

Marycatherin DeFazio takes comfort being close to water. She often sits on the benches at Salmon Falls in Shelburne Falls.

?I?m a shell of who I used to be.? A female prison guard?s tale of torment

First she was assaulted by her husband, then bullied by colleagues at work. A female prison guard found that the system put her on trial, not her tormentors.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/15/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Boghosian_16Nonivy5_MET.jpg Can you ever hope to find success and happiness if you don?t go to an elite college?

Hint: Yes.

Newsletters

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/18/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/Ground-Game-White-House-90px-4490.jpg Ground Game

It?s back! Get the latest intelligence on presidential politics from Globe reporter James Pindell. Sign up here.

Munch Madness

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/01/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/chalk%20BAT%20image.jpg Munch Madness 2019: The top restaurants in Boston

If it?s March, it must be time for the tournament everyone awaits all year: Munch Madness.

Love Letters: The Podcast

Season Two: How do you meet someone?

Dating in 2019 is?complicated. Frustrating. Sometimes completely exhilarating. In Season 2 of the podcast, Meredith Goldstein goes deep on one of her most-asked questions.

Listen:   Apple Podcasts   |   Spotify   |   RadioPublic

 

Special reports

They were the top of their class at Boston public schools. Then life happened

Read a multi-part investigation into how and why the lives of promising Boston valedictorians didn?t quite turn out the way they expected.

The Big Picture

Kin Cheung/Associated Press

The Big Picture

Students stage global protest to speak out on climate change inaction

Students worldwide skipped classes Friday to protest their governments? failure to act against global warming as part of the ?Fridays for Future? movement.

Real Estate

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2018/10/09/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/10-beechwood-road-halifax-exterior-side-1024x576$medium-9070.jpg Are we ignoring ? or outright banning ? an easy affordable-housing fix?

Mobile homes may be the least expensive and most effective means of addressing the region?s housing shortage.

STAT

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2019/03/15/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/VASOSTRICT-1024x576.jpg Can compounding make an ICU staple affordable again? It?s up to the courts

The price of vasopressin spiked in 2015. Now federal judges will decide if a cheaper, compounded alternative is worth the risk.

Podcasts