BOSTON/South Boston - Over 80 temp workers and their community and labor allies rallied in South Boston on Thursday to draw attention to the exploitation of Massachusetts’ growing low-wage temporary workforce, just ahead of the Labor Day holiday.

The organizers are members of a diverse coalition of labor and community groups pressing for the adoption of a proposed state law that proponents say will force unregulated temp agencies to observe basic labor standards.

BOSTON/South Boston - In 1999, author and media scholar Bob McChesney published the book "Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communications Politics In Dubious Times." This weekend, more than two thousand activists, government officials, journalists, artists, and media consumers have joined McChesney at Boston's Seaport World Trade Center to discuss those "communication politics and dubious times."

Open Media Boston is pleased to offer this live video feed from the National Conference for Media Reform courtesy of Free Press and Free Speech TV. The feed will be active during conference hours (EST) April 8-10. Enjoy!

BOSTON/South Boston - Dr. Tarek Mehanna, a 29 year old pharmacist from Sudbury, Massachusetts, entered the courtroom at the Moakley Federal Courthouse on Wednesday wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. Mehanna is being charged with conspiring to commit terrorism and lending material support to a global Islamic jihad against the United States. Defense attorneys, J.W. Carney Jr. and Janice Bassil, made several pre-trial motions, including a request that the judge to set bail so Mehanna could return home pending his trial in October.

Mehanna's family watched the court proceedings along with dozens of supporters from communities of faith, civil rights activists, journalists, and others spilling over into an observation room on closed circuit TV.

BOSTON/South Boston - Chuck Turner was sentenced to three years of incarceration at the Moakley Courthouse on Tuesday - ending a two year struggle by the embattled former Boston city councilor and his allies to stave off federal corruption charges. Constituents and supporters packed the courtroom and two overflow rooms to watched on closed circuit TV as lawyers on both sides made their case to US District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock. The atmosphere was bitter as hopes ran thin that Turner would be granted leniency. The crowd remained well composed with the notable exception of when Assistant US Attorney John McNeil began his remarks by saying this prosecution “has nothing to do with race, politics, or activism.” Woodlock quickly reminded those in attendance that outbursts would not be tolerated.

BOSTON/South Boston - On Monday, a group of 25 people - including former employees of the recently closed Seafood Palace Restaurant in Dorchester and supporters from the Chinese Progressive Association Workers Center, Mass. Jobs with Justice, and the Mass. Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health - met at the Broadway T Stop in South Boston and held a short rally before marching up West Broadway to Kim's Market to protest Seafood Palace's violation of various state and federal labor laws and demand justice for its laid-off workers.