Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 21, 2026 Sen. Lewis and Mass. Senate pass major economic development legislation S enator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to pass an economic development package that lifts up small businesses and burgeoning industries, surges the production of new housing units through automatic two-family zoning and reins in potential dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) by instituting responsible guardrails against catastrophes. The bill also creates safety rules for fast electric scooters and e-bikes, bans predatory kiosks used in cryptocurrency scams and invests $100 million in immediate support for scientific research programs at public higher education institutions. With $575 million in total spending authorizations, the economic development bill is poised to grow quality jobs in the Commonwealth, support innovation and improve the quality of life for workers and families. “The state legislature is committed to fostering new economic development in Massachusetts to create new business and job opportunities and to strengthen our communities,” said Senator Lewis. “This legislation will make Massachusetts even more competitive and attractive to both businesses and workers.” The bill will now be reconciled with a different version that was previously passed by the House of Representatives. It will then be sent to Governor Maura Healey for her signature and/or other actions. Highlights of the legislation: • Investing $100 million (M) for public higher education institutions to help maintain the pace of scientific research and discovery and retain talented graduate and post-doctorate workers in the face of federal research funding cuts • Requiring major AI developers to account for their AI models’ risk of critical safety incidents by setting frameworks to avoid potential catastrophes with oversight from the Attorney General’s Office • Generating new housing units by allowing two-family homes on all residentially zoned lots, subject to reasonable local limitations • Creating an easier process for converting commercial properties into residential units and requiring timely review processes for housing construction projects • Supporting the development and construction of permanently affordable homeownership units by authorizing up to $2.5M for a pilot program to fund the creation of units for low- and moderate-income households, including units within mixed-use developments • Implementing new safety standards for e-bikes and electric scooters, including regulations for safety equipment and after-market modifications, age and speed restrictions and a ban on mopeds and similar devices from bike lanes and shared-use paths • Authorizing up to $20M to support community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and small businesses • Authorizing up to $25M to support downtown and main street vitality in Massachusetts towns and cities, in addition to $2.5M to help convert vacant storefronts into pop-up opportunities for new small businesses • Authorizing up to $25M to support arts, culture and the creative economy • Authorizing up to $25M for research and development of robotics technology • Implementing a 110% cap on ticket prices on resale platforms to prevent scalping; a new grant program to boost the cultural and economic vitality of downtown, cultural and nightlife districts; and a study to explore the feasibility of hosting a future international soccer tournament following the success of the FIFA World Cup • Banning cryptocurrency ATMs that are often used by scammers • Criminalizing the creation, possession or sharing of AI-generated child sexual abuse material • Prohibiting the possession, operation, manufacture or sale of robots that are equipped with weapons, including firearms, chemical agents, weaponized lasers and explosives, and banning the use of robots to criminally harass or physically restrain another person • Raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18 year olds for certain crimes — an initiative that has proven to decrease crime, increase public safety and improve economic outcomes • Allowing cities and towns to provide enhanced tax relief in the form of a rebate to lower- and middle-income taxpayers who already receive the residential tax exemption, by shifting more of the residential tax burden onto vacation homes and investment properties • Establishing a fund to capitalize on public-private partnerships to lift families and communities out of poverty with support for community organizations that boost areas such as early education and care, affordable housing, public safety and civic infrastructure Senator Lewis advocated for successful amendments to authorize potential state bond funding that could be used for improvements to the Middlesex Fells Reservation and Zoo New England (the Stone Zoo in Stoneham and Franklin Park Zoo). Senator Lewis also championed a critical update to the state’s Chapter 62F tax refund law to ensure the formula takes into account all sources of personal income growth instead of only tracking the growth in salaries and wages, which now account for just over half of personal income in Massachusetts. MNBL celebrates 40th Anniversary Season at annual Awards Banquet N early 100 players, parents, coaches, sponsors, league officials and supporters gathered at the Malden Moose Hall to celebrate the conclusion of another successful season as the Malden Neighborhood Basketball League (MNBL) held its annual Awards Banquet, marking the league’s milestone 40th Anniversary Season. The evening recognized the outstanding accomplishments of the league’s players and coaches while celebrating four decades of providing Malden’s youth with opportunities to develop basketball skills, sportsmanship, teamwork and lifelong friendships. One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of the league’s Four-Year Graduates, honoring players who have completed their eligibility after four memorable seasons in the MNBL. Those recognized were Aidan Clarke, Logan Wright, William Dubois, Rocco Correale, Griffin Leon, Aiden Greene, Jose Juarbe and Skyler Son. The league also honored its 2026 All-Star Team, recognizing the top performers from throughout the season. Named to this year’s All-Star Team were Kevin Turner, Jacoby Hampton, Jemiah Charles, Devin Milonopoulos, Aiden Greene, Jaylen Jeudy, Logan Wright, Jordan Dinh, Robert Wallace, Yaphet Tesfaye, Manny Perez, Mike Joseph, Jaylen Rivera-Fuentes, Josias Thelmarque, Jose Juarbe, Denny DaCruz and Dante Bell. The Sixers were recognized as the 2026 Regular Season Champions following an outstanding campaign. Team members: Mike Joseph, Jose Juarbe, Matthew Maltese, Spencer Paul, Dante Bell, Landon Bertoncini, Daniel De Oliveira, Denny DaCruz, Kenny Melgar, Anthony Wadland, Charles McCollin and Andrew Noble, under the leadership of coaches Glen Noble and Sean Hickey. The Pistons captured the 2026 League Playoff Championship, earning the title after an impressive postseason run. Championship team members: Josias Thelmarque, Robert Wallace, Joshua Bly, Joseph Hatch, Jeremiah Dupervil, Jemiah Charles, Cleberson Orelien, Johnny Mei, Darren Howe, Jaylen Jeudy, Edgard Estinvil and Lorenzo Aponte. The team was coached by Danny Bitew, Charles Washington, Marcus Bailey and Belen Daniel. Several players were honored with special individual awards for their exceptional accomplishments throughout the season: Nick D’Anna captured the 2026 Three-Point Shootout Championship; Cleberson Orelien claimed the 2026 Hot Shot Championship. Lorenzo Aponte was named the league’s 2026 Rookie of the Year after an outstanding first season. The league recognized two players as 2026 Regular Season Co-Most Valuable Players: Jacoby Hampton and Denny DaCruz, whose leadership and outstanding performances helped define the season. The prestigious James A. Tringali Memorial Sportsmanship Award was presented to Logan Johnson, recognizing his exemplary character, respect for opponents and officials and outstanding display of sportsmanship throughout the season. The Michael Petradelis Memorial Playoff Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Jemiah Charles, who delivered an exceptional postseason performance in leading the Pistons to the league championship. Individual team awards were also presented to recognize each team’s Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Coach’s Award recipients: Bullets • MVP: Logan Wright and Aidan Clarke. • Most Improved: Tenzin Thamchoe and Jack Sweeney. • Coach’s Award: Nick D’Anna. Celtics • MVP: Kevin Sweeney. • Most Improved: Tyler Young. • Coach’s Award: Wed Pierre-Toussaint. Kings • MVP: Jacoby Hampton. • Most Improved: Fenan Semere and Aiden Greene. • Coach’s Award: Logan Johnson. Lakers • MVP: Jordan Dinh. • Most Improved: Levi Perez. • Coach’s Award: Kyle Nickerson. Pistons • MVP: Jemiah Charles and Cleberson Orelien. • Most Improved: Jeremiah Dupervil, Joseph Hatch and Edgard Estinvil. • Coach’s Award: Jemiah Charles. Sixers • MVP: Denny DaCruz. • Most Improved: Dante Bell. • Coach’s Award: Danny DeOliveira. League officials thanked the many volunteer coaches, parents, sponsors and supporters whose commitment continues to make the MNBL one of the city’s longest-running youth athletic organizations. Their dedication has helped thousands of young athletes develop both on and off the basketball court over the past four decades. As the league concludes its memorable 40th Anniversary Season, MNBL officials look forward to building on that tradition of excellence and providing future generations of Malden youth with the same positive experiences that have defined the organization since its founding. Congratulations to all of the award recipients, players, coaches, volunteers and families on another outstanding season.
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