Top Ten Boston Area News Stories of 2007

The Top Ten Boston Area News Stories in 2007 include personal, professional, political, athletic and cultural occurrences. Boston, once known as the literary hub of the United States continues to be a center for education, medicine and professional sports. It is a city of diversity and of tradition and many of the top ten Boston area news stories of 2007 reflect the personality of the place locals call Beantown.

1. Deval Patrick Sworn in As Governor. There is nothing unusual about Massachusetts swearing in a Democrat as governor of the state. It's more a story when they swear in anyone who isn't a Democrat in this liberal state. But in January Massachusetts citizens witnessed something entirely new in the swearing in department. Deval Patrick became the first African American of the 71 governors who have led the state. Patrick came to this position after serving in Bill Clinton's administration in the Justice department. For Boston Area African Americans it was a day to rejoice as equality of opportunity has finally been played out at the highest level of state government.

2. Casino or No Casino. For much of 2007 one of the top ten Boston area news stories has been the ongoing debate over the establishment of gambling casinos in the Bay State. There is a great deal of support for casinos among the contingent that watches revenue escaping the state and being gobbled up by casino ventures in neighboring Rhode Island and Connecticut. On the other side of the argument are those that feel that no amount of new revenue would be worth the damage done to people's lives because of the presence of a gaming operation in the state. One potential site for a new casino might be Suffolk Downs which is a short ride on the T from downtown Boston.

Currently Governor Patrick is in favor of the building casinos in the state while his opposition lies chiefly in several strong legislators who sit in the Massachusetts General Court.