The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • B2

B2 Metro FR IDAY, NOVEMBER 1 8 2 0 2 2 Judge nixes bid to delay firefighter test Firefighters inMassachusetts who are aiming to get promoted may have to wait until March, after a Suffolk Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that the state can cancel an annual exam scheduled for this Saturday while it reviews the format of the pro- motion process. Suffolk Superior Judge Christopher P. Belezos on Thursday rejected a request by several Boston firefighters to keep test as scheduled, saying the opportunity to take the exam had been delayed but not denied. The Boston firefighters said they were acting to represent themselves and others like themwhowould be affected by the delay of the test. Lawyers for the firefighters did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The state Human Resources Division pulled the fire- fighters exam after another Suffolk Superior Court judge in a pre- vious hearing found that the near-identical promotional process used to determine who becomes a police sergeant inMassachu- setts is racist and impractical and adversely impacted Black and Hispanic candidates. State officials say they will follow the directive to restructure the police promotional exam as well as the exam, because of its similarities. The state said it is working to offer a new exam inMarch. Several Boston firefight- ers who filed a class-action lawsuit sought a preliminary injunc- tion, saying that delaying the annual examwould cause irrepara- ble harm to the approximately 880 people who had signed up and paid to take it. Belezos on Thursday rejected that request, saying that state law directs officials to offer the exam, but does not set a schedule.

EM School bus driver chargedwithOUI A school bus driver was charged with driving under the influence for allegedly driving erratically with 40 students on board on Route 3 northbound Thursday evening, State Police said. Beth- ann Sweeney, 53, of Hanover, is facing charges of operating un- der the influence of intoxicating substances, State Police said. not known if she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, State Police said in a statement. Troopers responded after receiv- ing a 911 call reporting the bus wasmoving erratically just south of exit 27 at about 6 p.m., State Police said in a statement. The bus was stopped at the restaurant on Route 139.

The ages of the students, and what school they attend, was not known, State Police. made to ensure the students arrive safely at the statement said. AU TA 1st Blackwomanup forHouse Speaker Democrats House of Representatives nominated the first African American to serve as speaker, selecting a Portland lawmaker whose father was the first Blackmember of theMaine Legislature. Rep resentative Rachel Talbot Ross was nominated Thursday over another Portlander, Ed Crockett, to lead the cham- ber. Her selection is all but assured since Democrats control the state House.

She said ready to focus on challenges including the rising cost of living, climate change, and a lack of access to af- fordable housing and healthcare. Her father, Gerald Talbot, was the founding president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP, and the first Black lawmaker inMaine, elected in 1972. He later served onMaine State Board of Education, and a school in Port- land bears his name. Like her father, Talbot Ross served as presi- dent of the Portland NAACP. NewEngland in brief Lottery THURSDAY MIDDAY 7979 Payoffs (based on a $1 bet) EXACT ORDER All 4 digits $3,204 First or last 3 $449 Any 2 digits $38 Any 1 digit $4 ANY ORDER All 4 digits $534 First 3 $150 Last 3 $150 THURSDAY NIGHT 5772 Payoffs (based on a $1 bet) EXACT ORDER All 4 digits $4,418 First or last 3 $619 Any 2 digits $53 Any 1 digit $5 ANY ORDER All 4 digits $368 First 3 $206 Last 3 $206 LUCKY FOR LIFE Nov.

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There are 43 days left in the year. Birthdays: Author-poet Mar- garet Atwood is 83. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback War- ren Moon is 66. Actor Oscar Nunez is 64. Actor Elizabeth Per- kins is 62.

Rock musician Kirk Hammett (Metallica) is 60. Ac- tor Romany Malco is 54. Actor OwenWilson is 54. US Olympic track star Allyson Felix is 37. Ac- tor Nathan Kress is 30.

1936, Germany and Italy recognized the Spanish govern- ment of Francisco Franco. 1963, the Bell System in- troduced the first commercial touch-tone telephone system in Carnegie and Greensburg, Penn- sylvania. 1966, US Roman Catho- lic bishops did away with the rule against eating meat on Fri- days outside of Lent. 1976, parliament approved a bill to establish a de- mocracy after 37 years of dicta- torship. 1978, US Representative Leo J.

Ryan of California and four others were killed on an air- strip in Jonestown, Guyana, by members of the Peoples Temple; the killings were followed by a night of mass murder and sui- cide resulting in the deaths of more than 900 cult members. 1987, the congressional Iran-Contra committees issued their final report, saying Presi- dent Ronald Reagan bore mate for wrong- doing by his aides. 1991, Shiite Muslim kid- nappers in Lebanon freed Angli- can Church envoy Terry Waite and Thomas Sutherland, the American dean of agriculture at the American University of Bei- rut. 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4- to-3 that the state constitution guaranteed gay couples the right tomarry. 2012, in the deadliest single attack in offensive against Islamic militants, 12 people were killed when an Is- raeli missile ripped through a two-story home in a residential area of Gaza City.

Justin Bieber dominated the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, winning three trophies, including artist of the year. 2017, After heading Northern Sinn Fein party for more than 30 years, Gerry Adams announced that he was stepping down. 2020, President Donald Trump filed for a recount ofWis- two largest Democratic counties, paying the required $3 million cost and alleging that they were the sites of the although no evi- dence of illegal activity had been presented. (The recounts result- ed in a slightly larger lead for Democrat Joe Biden.) year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation requiring private businesses in the state to let workers opt out of coronavirus vaccine mandates. More than half a century after the assassination of Malcolm two of his convicted killers were exonerated; a New York judge dismissed the convictions ofMu- hammad Aziz and the late Khalil Islam, after prosecutors and the lawyers said a renewed in- vestigation had found new evi- dence that undermined the case against them.

This day in history feedback I got from colleagues in Republican circles, based on my recent remarks, was a very similar he said. are a lot of people in the Republican Party who are anx- ious to move on. a lot of folks out there in our party who are looking at a different Many made that much clear. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu called Trump a and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who months ago said she would support Trump if he ran again, declined to say this week if she would endorse him. Former vice president Mike Pence, a potential 2024 candi- date himself, said Wednesday that he believes voters are ing for new New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reportedly received a round of applause at the gover- meeting after he blamed Trump for the failures over the last three federal elec- tions.

Baker was among those who attended speech, and said the message was similar to his own, that pretty clear what the voters of the country were telling the Republican Par- ty generally on he said, not interested in extremists. not interested in, sort of, the politics of Baker did not address Thurs- day whether he intends to con- tinue playing a larger voice na- tionally about the direction of the GOP. With seven weeks left in office, he said focused on helping ease the transition for governor-elect Maura Healey, a Democrat, and come February, welcoming his first grandchild. He also did not directly an- swer when asked if he wants to get involved in the selection of a new leader for the state Republi- can Party, which will hold its vote for chairman in January. Baker has long feuded with cur- rent chairman Jim Lyons, a con- servative former lawmaker who, on Tuesday, attended event announcing his third pres- idential campaign.

Lyons has not said whether he will seek another two-year term as chairman after a cycle in which his party lost the gover- office and Democrats ap- peared poised to build further on their super-majority in the Legislature. already are a lot of folks on the state committee who have made pret- ty clear that unhappy, as they should be, with the perfor- mance of the Mass. GOP in the recent election Baker said. Baker spent part of his morn- ing Thursday fighting a cold while speaking at the Massachu- setts Senior Care annual meeting, where he said he expects staffing across the health care industry will remain a challenge without a clear solution. I had a third he said, fully expect to be spending a lot of time talking to you about Matt Stout can be reached at matt.stout@globe.com.

Follow him on DAVID L. STAFF PRETTY AS A PICTURE An early morning on the beachfront in downtown Provincetown gave off postcard vibes. ByMatt Stout GLOBE STAFF WORCESTER Governor Baker, who this week urged Re- publicans to move on from Don- a Trump on Thu sd ay shrugged off the former presi- announcement that he would again seek the White House, arguing not alone in wanting an alternative to the twice-impeached Trump. a little early to be forcing people who literally just got through a 2022 campaign to have to start thinking about a 2024 Baker said a day after returning from Flori- da, where he gathered with oth- er Republican governors for an annual meeting. every- body really wants right now is a chance to take a deep breath and maybe think a little bit about how going tomanage the ris ing costs of everything through the holiday Baker this week hadmade an unusual pivot to national televi- sion, telling Jake Tapper that influence hobbled the GOP during the midterm elections and that the disappointing showing was evi- dence that voters want ex- Throughout much of his ten- ure, repeated criticisms of Trump have often been met with silence, even derision, from his fellow Republicans, pushing the second-term governor into what seemed like a lonely blue- state outpost within the GOP.

But announcement Tuesday that he would again mount a presidential run did lit- tle to tamp down on potential challengers or criticisms that Trump, who sparked an insur- rection with his lies that the 2020 election was stolen from him, bore the blame for the par- failures to recapture the Sen- ate and a slate of rac- es. Baker, too, said he found something amid news: a receptive audience for his own view. vast majority of the Baker sees future for anti-Trumpview Believesposition benefitsGOP By Jessica Bartlett GLOBE STAFF Behavioral health and pri- mary care workers will be eli- gible for $130 million in loan repayment, a year after legisla- tors approved funding for the initiative. According to a release from the Baker administration, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services has contract- ed with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to distr ibute the funds. The money was allocat- ed from American Rescue Plan Act funding and from the Opi- oid Recovery and Remediation Trust Fund, which was estab- lished with proceeds from set- tlements with drugmakers that helped fuel the opioid epi- demic.

pandemic has exacer- bated workforce shortages across the health care and hu- man services sector in both the public and private mar- kets, placing significant stress on our health care providers, their staff and our Massachu- setts residents seeking said Health and Human Ser- vices Secretary Marylou Sud- ders, in a release. this program, we are provid- ing tangible support to sustain them in this high demand Qualifying employees can apply for loan repayment awards ranging from $12,500 to $300,000 per individual. The grants are geared to health workers at community health centers, community mental health centers, psychi- atric units in acute care hospi- tals, in-patient psychiatric hos- pitals or substance use treat- ment programs. Applicants must meet one of a list of qual- ifying criteria, including pro- viding clinical care to histori- cally medically underserved patients, working or residing in a community prioritized in the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative, or working in a des- ignated community behavioral health center. Loans eligible for repay- ment in this application pro- cess include government loans made by federal, state, county or city agencies and commer- cial loans, and can be from banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, insur- ance companies, schools, and other financial or credit insti- tutions.

The Baker administra- tion said information about how to apply would be made available by the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers in December. Jessica Bartlett can be reached at jessica.bartlett@globe.com. $130m for health worker loan repayment March 20, 2020 85 1 SOURCE: Mass. Department of Public Health GLOBE STAFF Mass. COVID-19 cases Mass.

COVID-19 deaths 4,497 new 72 new Confirmed, by date case was reported to the state (Cumulative total: 1,925,311) Confirmed, by date death was reported to the state (Cumulative total: 20,769) Nov. 17 In Mass: Seven-day average positivity rate: 5.44% Patients with COVID-19 currently in hospitals as of Nov. 15: 562.