Articles by Philip Marcelo

Women-Only Rideshare Services Raise Legal Questions

Ride-hailing companies catering exclusively to women are cropping up and raising thorny legal questions, namely: Are they discriminatory? In Massachusetts, Chariot for Women is promising to launch a service featuring female drivers picking up only women and children. Drivers will …

Boston Olympics Bid Committee Says Insurance Will Minimize Risk to Taxpayers

Leaders of Boston’s bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics released details Thursday about insurance proposals they say will provide unprecedented coverage for Massachusetts taxpayers. The Boston 2024 bid committee released a document that described at least eight types of insurance …

Boston Area Expects a Flood of Claims After Record Winter

After the Big Dig-out, it’s time for the Big Payout. Or will it be the Big Denial? New England’s epic winter is on pace to produce a corresponding number of claims as thousands of homeowners seek to repair damage. Successive …

New England Goes From Big Snow to Big Melt With Milder Weather

New England is going from the Big Snow to the Big Melt. After winter storms dumped nearly 9 feet of snow over the course of a month, many parts of the region will see milder weather this week and some …

Epic Snows Brought Economic Woes to New England

Ignore anyone who tells you snow is free. Every workday lost during New England’s winter has meant millions of dollars taken out of the regional economy. IHS Global Insight, an economic analysis firm, estimates Massachusetts alone suffered roughly $1 billion …

Debate Heats Up Over Proposed Ridesharing Rules in Massachusetts

Taxicab drivers and owners decried proposed Massachusetts regulations on popular transportation companies like Uber and Lyft, while rideshare drivers defended their jobs at a packed and heated public hearing Wednesday. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who leaves office Jan. 8, wants …

Boston Mayor: City Made Significant Strides in Preparing for Climate Change

Boston has made significant strides in preparing for major natural disasters, rising sea levels and other impacts to the ever-changing climate, Mayor Martin Walsh said on the two-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Speaking at the Architecture Boston Expo at the …

Boston Emerging as Unlikely Battleground for Web-Based Businesses

A renowned technology hub that is home to some of the country’s top universities, Boston is emerging as an unlikely battleground for web-based businesses like Airbnb and Uber, with some saying more regulations are needed to prevent the upstarts from …

Tornado Causes Extensive Damage in Coastal City of Revere, Mass.

A storm system that wreaked havoc across the eastern U.S. spawned a tornado just north of Boston on Monday, causing extensive damage in the coastal city of Revere, where roofs were ripped off buildings and dozens of large trees were …