National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association forecasts a milder winter

Winter is coming, but it won’t be a Westerosian one this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. On Thursday, the agency’s Climate Prediction Center released its 2019-2020 winter outlook — and it forecasts unseasonably mild temperatures between December and February. There’s no prediction of snowfall accumulations in the release because that can only be seen about a week in advance. And though the winter will probably be milder than normal, the Boston branch of NOAA clarifies that this doesn’t mean Bostonians won’t be donning coats. “We’ll have plenty of cold and snow, but may be warmer than normal…” There will be an update to the outlook in November.

Governor Charlie Baker proposes MA health care overhaul 

On Friday, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker introduced legislation that, if passed, will reform the Massachusetts health care system. The proposed bill would change how hospitals bill their patients, and would require clinics to treat patients who are on Medicaid. Baker, a Republican who was the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and the state health secretary before becoming governor, has made health care a focus of his tenure in office. The legislation in question would also curtail hospital fees and prevent drug companies from raising the price of medications above two percent. So far, the bill has been met with positive reception, and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, a major industry union, said that it “is a good first start as Massachusetts works to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for patients.”

Head of the Charles Regatta held on Saturday and Sunday

This weekend, the Head of the Charles Regatta brought rowers from the world over to Cambridge. This year, the event featured 11,000 athletes from 66 countries. The start line was at the Boston University boathouse, and the race concluded close to Herter Park. Races lasted from early morning until late afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. One rower to watch, according to the Boston Globe, was Gevvie Stone, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist and Princeton graduate. Stone had won the women’s championship singles nine times and is the course record holder; she picked up her tenth title on Sunday.