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Aug 15, 2023

'Pay your writers': Why BU's commencement speaker got booed

Advertisement Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning

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Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.

Celtics fans weren't the only ones booing this weekend. Let's get right to the news:

David Zaslav, the CEO of the media conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery, returned to his alma mater Boston University on Sunday to deliver the commencement address for this year's graduating class. But as WBUR's Walter Wuthmann reports, Zaslav's speech was met with pickets and protests in support of TV and film writers, who launched the industry's first strike in 15 years earlier this month.

"A highly unusual situation": Officials in Hull are asking the courts for more specific advice on handling their elections after a fire on election day last Monday blocked some residents from getting to the town's only voting place. Due to the disruption, the town let about 80 people vote between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. after polls closed, but a judge later rejected their request to let those votes be counted.

Not loving that dirty water: Officials are advising people and their pets to avoid contact with Alewife Brook and parts of Mystic River in Cambridge, Somerville and Medford until at least tomorrow. Cambridge health officials say the city was forced to release sewage and storm-water runoff into the river on Sunday in order to prevent sewage from backing up into people's homes.

The Boston City Council is resuming its work this week to sign off on a new redistricting map after a federal judge blocked the city from using a previous map created by councilors. WBUR's Amy Sokolow reports that the council will now work off a map proposed by Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune as a baseline for the discussion.

P.S.— Taylor Swift wrapped up her three-concert (and at-times rain-soaked) swing through Massachusetts last night. If you’re still buzzing from the show or can't get "Lavender Haze" out of your head, check out Swift's 2019 half-hour NPR Tiny Desk concert. It's a little smaller venue than Gillette, but cool and unique watch nonetheless.