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After wading through hours of debate and considering hundreds of amendments, the Senate late Wednesday night unanimously approved a $3.82 billion package to steer special federal relief funds and surplus state budget revenues into virtually every corner of the state.

As U.S. House Democrats push to bring cornerstones of President Joe Biden's domestic spending agenda forward for votes as soon as Friday, Massachusetts may be closer to receiving more than $12.5 billion toward its roads, bridges, water systems and other infrastructure needs.

On Oct. 22, a titan of the Central Massachusetts economy passed away. Valentin Gapontsev, the founder, chairman, and former CEO of Oxford fiber laser manufacturer IPG Photonics, died at age 82, leaving a legacy of scientific exploration, entrepreneurialism, and business success.

Legislation to legalize wagering on sports remains "live and under active conversation and negotiation" in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, a top lawmaker said Tuesday, but that chamber's leaders remain tight-lipped about whether the bill will emerge for a floor vote before a mid-November deadline.

Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are continuing to hold back economic growth, but index readings released Monday show the Massachusetts economy in expansionary territory for a sixth straight quarter and four straight quarters of growth for the U.S. economy.

Low- and middle-income workers who provided critical services during the pandemic would receive a total of $500 million in premium pay bonuses and $500 million more would cushion the impact of unemployment insurance increases on businesses, under a bill emerging in the Legislature on Monday that uses American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Millions have gotten it, and more want it, mostly for their children. There are boosters with evolving...

House leaders detailed a $3.65 billion spending package Monday that would invest in housing, hospitals, schools and workforce development, proposing to draw from last year's state budget surplus and over half of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to prop up workers, industries and communities hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As many families in Massachusetts climb out of a financial hole created by COVID-19, Rep. Joan Meschino said Tuesday that efforts by the state to claw back overpayment of unemployment benefits during the pandemic has created anxiety and hardship for untold workers who spent the money to cover everyday living expenses.

The various cannabis businesses in and around Central Massachusetts – which include dispensaries, cultivation facilities, manufacturing plants, and testing labs – have proved themselves to be strong supporters of their communities.