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TRENDING:

Sen. Perdue quarantines for virus exposure ahead of Georgia runoff
Republican Sen. David Perdue was forced into quarantine Thursday in the home stretch of Georgia?s high-stakes Senate runoffs, disclosing just five days before the election that he had been exposed to a campaign worker infected with the coronavirus.

Rare GOP rebuff of Trump in last days of chaotic Congress

Congress is ending a chaotic session like few others, a two-year political firestorm that started with the longest federal government shutdown in US history, was riven by impeachment and a pandemic, and now closes with a rare rebuff by Republicans of President Trump.

Cardinal O?Malley, other Mass. bishops condemn new state abortion law

Cardinal Sean O?Malley and the state?s other three Roman Catholic bishops on Thursday condemned the Massachusetts Legislature?s decision to override a veto from Governor Charlie Baker and enshrine abortion rights in state law.

Senator Sasse calls effort to overturn electoral college vote a ?dangerous ploy?

In an open letter to constituents, Senator Ben Sasse, R-Neb., wrote that there is no evidence of fraud so widespread that it could change the results and said he has urged his colleagues to reject ?a project to overturn the election.?
Why Jan. 6 is a key date for Trump?s election gripes
LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

Vaccines take a while to kick in. Experts say that means the body is doing its job

Microsoft says suspected Russian hackers viewed source code

This photo of Ben Affleck juggling Dunkin? coffees is all of us in 2020

A Trump administration food program sputters to an end, leaving people in Mass. scrambling
In some parts of the state, deliveries ceased abruptly just before Christmas.

Mass. to require all new cars sold to be electric by 2035 as part of climate-change measures
Among the changes the state plans over the next decade: retrofitting 1 million homes to use electricity for heating instead of gas and oil, cutting commuters? driving miles by 15 percent, and dramatically increasing offshore wind power generation.

2020 Year in Review

A list of some of the notable names we lost in 2020

Remembering those who entertained, educated, or informed us through the years.

Remembering those we lost in 2020

The world said goodbye to titans like John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020, but we also lost many people who died from COVID-19 in relative anonymity. Here we remember all those who left us this year.

Here?s a look back at some of the strangest local business stories of 2020

Next year should inevitably be a better one, right? But don't expect the weirdness to end.

Opinion

OPINION

What to salvage from the 2020 dumpster fire

The best insights and innovations from a year of crisis ? and what the Globe editorial board will track in 2021.
Boston Infectious Disease Specialists

Boston infectious disease specialists: Our New Year?s resolutions
IDEAS | SARAH TOWLE

Grim stories from asylum seekers caught up in America?s cranked-up deportation machine
Joan Vennochi

Dear Boston, I miss you
MICHAEL A. COHEN

What I got wrong in 2020

THINGS TO DO
Blithewold Mansion brings holiday magic outdoors
The outdoor Christmas holiday displays at Blithewold have become so popular that the season is extended to Jan. 10.

?Done with making an ass of myself.? Chrissy Teigen is ?four weeks sober,? according to her Instagram
Teigen told her 33 million Instagram followers that she was inspired by Holly Whitaker?s book, ?Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol,? which she received as a gift. In a 2017 interview, the model and influencer opened up about "drinking too much."

Governor signs police overhaul into law
A key element of the legislation is the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. The majority of members will be civilians. The commission has independent power to investigate misconduct and serve as a civil enforcement agency.

After first losing season in 20 years, big overhaul looming for Patriots
Many of the changes in 2021 will begin with a large group of free agents on both sides of the ball.

N.H. bartender?s welcome holiday surprise: a $1,000 tip
Like many workers in the food service industry, Justine Barnes, a bartender at L Street Taverncq in Hampton, New Hampshire, has had a tough time this year.

Former Vermont state trooper pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting minor in 2003 and 2004

A former Vermont State Police trooper who lives in Massachusetts pleaded not guilty after he was arrested for allegedly ?repeatedly? sexually assaulting a minor nearly two decades ago, according to State Police.

Woman, 69, found dead behind baseball field in Manchester, N.H.

A body found behind a baseball field in Manchester, New Hampshire Wednesday morning has been identified as a 69-year-old woman, officials said.

Zdeno Chara says he decided to move on because ?I had more to offer? than the Bruins wanted
?I still want to go out there and do my thing," Chara said Thursday. "That?s my motivation, still kind of proving I can play."

Don Sweeney says Bruins made an offer to Zdeno Chara months ago Former Norwood hockey player shares how Zdeno Chara supported him after he was paralyzed

Recommended Reads

Behind the Shield

Boston police sergeant who bragged about hitting George Floyd protesters with car was previously accused of sexual assault

Clifton McHale, a 23-year BPD veteran with family ties to the department?s upper ranks, was accused in 2005 of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman while in uniform in a police vehicle and agreed to serve a one-year, unpaid suspension following an investigation.

A year in heart break: staggering job losses from the pandemic
At one point in June, 654,000 people in Massachusetts were out of work as the virus-related closures tightened their grip on the economy

?I feel like I?m always on edge?: For hospitality workers, COVID-19 hasn?t just ravaged their industry, but also their mental health
Watching their livelihoods crumble and scared of getting sick, many are fighting despair and struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

metro

From body cameras to training, grants help police forces equip for the future
Many of the initiatives are geared to address the national calls for police accountability and reforms sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement.

THINGS TO DO

Blithewold Mansion brings holiday magic outdoors

This photo of Ben Affleck juggling Dunkin? coffees is all of us in 2020

Sports

Alabama, Notre Dame square off on New Year?s Day in relocated Rose Bowl
The game was moved to AT&T Stadium from its traditional home in Pasadena because of COVID-19 restrictions in California that would have kept family ? and any other fans ? from attending.

Former Norwood hockey player shares how Zdeno Chara supported him after he was paralyzed

NFL Notebook

Browns lose two more key players to COVID heading into showdown with Steelers

business

Hedge fund seeks full control of Tribune Publishing, a major news chain
In the latest sign of the finance industry?s tightening grip on the local news business, Alden Global Capital has moved a significant step closer toward acquiring a major prize: Tribune Publishing, the parent of nine major metropolitan papers.

Unemployment claims dipped but remained high during Christmas week

S&P 500 ends at another record high as tumultuous 2020 ends

politics

Senator Sasse calls effort to overturn electoral college vote a ?dangerous ploy?
In an open letter to constituents, Senator Ben Sasse, R-Neb., wrote that there is no evidence of fraud so widespread that it could change the results and said he has urged his colleagues to reject ?a project to overturn the election.?

Why January 6 is a key date for Trump?s election gripes

Pelosi likely speaker again, but might require high-wire act

lifestyle

?Duuude, that was great.? Watch Tom Brady nail this impression of Rob Gronkowski
Tom Brady hasn?t given Patriots fans much to smile about in 2020, but his impersonation of teammate Rob Gronkowski on the final day of the year might do the trick.

GIFTED HIKERS

Is this gift possibly the GOAT?

Gather ?round: Fire pits help take the chill out of winter

arts

Suranne Jones is one of the many pleasures of ?Scott & Bailey?
Jones and co-star Lesley Sharp play detectives who solve crimes while coping with their personal melodramas.

TELEVISION

The ones to watch in 2021

Gender fluidity upends a classic genre in Anna North?s ?Outlawed?

rhode island

THINGS TO DO
Blithewold Mansion brings holiday magic outdoors
The outdoor Christmas holiday displays at Blithewold have become so popular that the season is extended to Jan. 10.

RHODE MAP

What?s the first thing you?ll do once COVID is over?
CORONAVIRUS

R.I. doctor to get second vaccine dose on Saturday, but warns, ?We?re really in the tsunami of this pandemic?

Newton

Special Projects

A beautiful resistance | JENEÉ OSTERHELDT

With every sip, a labor of love

In Vermont, a winemaker is cultivating a legacy that pays homage to the Black folk who built this country and is celebrating life and the future of farming.
See more from 'A Beautiful Resistance' Follow on Instagram

On the Street

In tackling the pandemic, Chelsea finds new strength

Brockton offers a gateway to a new generation

This time, Quincy Center?s revival looks legit

Revere was going through a revival before COVID-19. Can it stay on track?

See more from our business series ?On the Street?: The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods

More

2020 Bostonians of the Year: The Front Line
They stood up to fight the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Meet the people leading us through a harrowing year.

Last Words: Is death the great equalizer?
Quite the contrary, a Spotlight investigation shows. Death exposes in high relief the layers of inequities, in race and income, care and opportunity, that shape life down to its final hours. It is a truth the pandemic has only underscored ? one hard to see, because it is so much easier to look away.

I knew getting prostate cancer at 48 would change me. I had no idea how much
For the past year, Mark Shanahan has been working on Mr. 80 Percent, a six-episode podcast miniseries about his experience with prostate cancer. It?s a deeply personal, sometimes harrowing, often funny story about a disease that affects millions of men. The heroes are his doctors and family, who put up with some appalling behavior. You?ll hear from both.

Comfort Zone

COMFORT ZONE

A new mural brings beauty and diversity to a ?boring? corner of Kendall Square

Cedric "Vise1" Douglas and Julia Roth brought the faces of two women to a Cambridge vent shaft.
COMFORT ZONE

Celebrate New Year?s Eve with HipStory and its vision for Boston?s hip-hop future

The Boston-based media production company and artistic incubator is ringing in 2021 with a new digital concert platform.
COMFORT ZONE

Hikes and hot chocolate: Winter walks and warm-up stops on Cape Cod

This is the perfect time of year for a hike along the beach, followed by a hot beverage, a warm-from-the-oven pastry, or a melty slice of brick-oven pizza.
COMFORT ZONE

The music that got these Bostonians through 2020

Some songs and artists captured anguish and anxiety; others reflected hope, humor, and connection. All of them hit the spot.
Cooking | Magazine

Recipes: Spanish-inspired pork, sauteed vegetables, and almond cake

A few key ingredients pack outsized flavor into these dishes.
COMFORT ZONE

Even when she contracted COVID-19, this art teacher thought of her students. Now, they can craft along with her over Zoom.

Alex Adamo developed two ongoing virtual programs: Crafternoons and SAVI, or Social Art Virtual Immersion. Crafternoons occur every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Each class features a different craft, led by Adamo, utilizing household items. SAVI classes are hosted via Zoom weekly on Tuesdays or Thursdays and organized by month.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

IDEAS | MARK ANDERSON

Preserving not just the most beautiful landscapes, but the most resilient

EDITORIAL

Police reform: A roadmap for the future
Renée Loth

2020 visions
Jody Adams, Bessie King, and Ken Oringer

Beacon Hill must cap food delivery fees imposed by DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub

Joan Vennochi

With Speaker Mariano, progressives get what they deserve
IDEAS | JULIA HOTZ

When money is running short, print your own

STAT

The Road Ahead: Charting the pandemic over the next 12 months ? and beyond
In this project, STAT describes 30 key moments, possible turning points that could steer the pandemic onto a different course or barometers for how the virus is reshaping our lives.

From a small N.C. town to big-city hospitals, how software infuses racism into U.S. health care
The racial bias can produce huge differences in assessing patients? need for special care to manage conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or depression, a STAT investigation found.

Covid-19?s wintry mix: Dry indoor air helps the virus spread
The worry is not just that people might mingle more closely inside, but that the air they breathe will make the virus more dangerous.

In the Covid-19 death of a hospital food worker, a microcosm of the pandemic
The hospital's first employee to die of Covid-19 was a kitchen worker named Marie Deus ? and her illness sparked a question. Why weren't bedside clinicians getting sick at the highest rates?

magazine
It's a wrap

Dave Barry?s year in review: 2020, what can we say . . .

Miss Conduct

My son didn't invite his brother to be in his wedding

Cover Story

Diagnosed with cancer at 8, Mateo Goldman needed something like a miracle. He got two.

Photos of the Year

The Globe photographers? best photos of 2020

sports

After first losing season in 20 years, big overhaul looming for Patriots

21 things to watch for with the Celtics in 2021

The inside story of Doug Flutie?s NFL drop kick, 15 years ago Friday

metro

Cardinal O?Malley, other Mass. bishops condemn new state abortion law

From body cameras to training, grants help police forces equip for the future

Blithewold Mansion brings holiday magic outdoors

Nation

The latest COVID-19 numbers from Massachusetts

Wisconsin hospital worker arrested for spoiled vaccine doses

Senator Perdue quarantines for virus exposure before GA runoff

World

Argentina legalizes abortion, a milestone in a conservative region

Convicted US spy Pollard arrives in Israel

China sentences 10 seeking to flee Hong Kong to prison terms

politics

Why January 6 is a key date for Trump?s election gripes

Pelosi likely speaker again, but might require high-wire act

Trump to return to White House early from Florida vacation

business

Hedge fund seeks full control of Tribune Publishing, a major news chain

Unemployment claims dipped but remained high during Christmas week

S&P 500 ends at another record high as tumultuous 2020 ends

lifestyle

?Duuude, that was great.? Watch Tom Brady nail this impression of Rob Gronkowski

Is this gift possibly the GOAT?

Gather ?round: Fire pits help take the chill out of winter

marijuana

Q&A with outgoing cannabis commissioner Shaleen Title

Medical marijuana?s future in R.I.? It may turn on more than a high-stakes lottery

COVID can?t cancel canna-Christmas

opinion

Boston infectious disease specialists: Our New Year?s resolutions

Grim stories from asylum seekers caught up in America?s cranked-up deportation machine

What to salvage from the 2020 dumpster fire

food & dining

?I feel like I?m always on edge?: For hospitality workers, COVID-19 hasn?t just ravaged their industry, but also their mental health

She got her start as a student baker at Brookline High School. Now she has her own shop in Chestnut Hill

Recipe: Your New Year?s menu will finish with a flourish with sticky bun bread pudding

travel

Is this gift possibly the GOAT?

Gather ?round: Fire pits help take the chill out of winter

WCVB Channel 5 weekend anchor dreams of Cuba, Europe, and getting back to the Bahamas

Books

Gender fluidity upends a classic genre in Anna North?s ?Outlawed?

The 55 best books of 2020

Overcoming ?Trump fatigue? with a fictional take on the president

Movies

A wish list for 2021

Not policing the police in Boston and Philadelphia; visiting Venezuela

Boo Radley? Tom Hagen? Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore? In other words, Robert Duvall

Television

Suranne Jones is one of the many pleasures of ?Scott & Bailey?

The ones to watch in 2021

Having a ball with the contemporary sensibility of ?Bridgerton?

music

Celebrate New Year?s Eve with HipStory and its vision for Boston?s hip-hop future

The music that got these Bostonians through 2020

Top 10 jazz albums of 2020

Theater/Dance

For some arts venues, a lifeline

Boston record label Dead & Mellow marks a first year in which nothing went according to plan

Williamstown Theatre Festival re-creates its lost summer season on Audible

globe local

From body cameras to training, grants help police forces equip for the future

In light of the MBTA Board?s vote to cut T service, is it time for the state legislature to increase funding to the MBTA?

Remember to wipe the snow off your car ... or this could happen to you

Obituaries

Dick Thornburgh, ex-governor and US attorney general, dies

A list of some of the notable names we lost in 2020

Donald L. Stull, pioneering architect of the Ruggles MBTA station and Harriet Tubman House, dies at 83