In the News

ERBIL, Iraq - The northern Iraqi village of Bashir has been all but flattened by war. Abandoned houses lie in heaps of rubble along the eerily quiet streets. Upon first glance, the village appears uninhabited, but every now and then a solemn-looking child will appear in a doorway. Down one dusty alley, a teenage boy plays with a live electrical wire, causing showers of sparks to dance across the ground.

BOSTON — Congressman Seth Moulton thinks marijuana should be legalized and regulated in Massachusetts, arguing that the state could get a much-needed windfall in tax revenue while driving down black-market pot sales.

Moulton, who acknowledges trying pot as a student at Harvard College in the 1990s, said opponents have "legitimate concerns" about people driving under the influence of marijuana and kids using the drug. Regulation, he said, is the way to address those concerns.

LYNN — Jay Connolly admits he is “somewhat of a stranger to Lynn,” but the vice president of Beverly-based Connolly Brothers Inc. registered for Tuesday’s city development tour of Lynn to find new opportunities.

“The city seems to have lots of potential, proximity to Boston and waterfront opportunities, so it’s exciting to see it,” Connolly said.

More than 100 investors, developers, lenders, brokers and contractors like Connolly boarded three buses for a glimpse at the city’s development opportunities.

By: David Bernstein

The campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Massachusetts just gained a powerful ally.

LYNN — For the first time in anyone’s memory, more than 100 developers, lenders and investors will tour the city next week to learn about its investment and development opportunities.

“It’s getting the stars to align,” said Jason Denoncourt, economic development director for U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), one of the tour’s hosts. “There’s so much opportunity here. The city just needs the right mix of strategy, experience and capital to make something happen.”