Mass. And Cass. At Top Of To Do List For Wu: The HUB

The HUB is a daily newsletter designed for what you want — to be caught up on the most interesting, important news in 5 minutes or less. It's a little bit of this, a little bit of that, but if there's something you want more or less of, email me at jimmy.bentley@patch.com.

Today is Friday, November 5. Let's get started.

Addressing the opioid addiction and homelessness crises at Mass. and Cass will be one of Michelle Wu's first priorities after being sworn into office, the Boston mayor-elect told the Boston Globe in her first sit down interview since her victory Tuesday.

Just minutes before Wu sat down with the Globe, she met with Acting Mayor Kim Janey's administration for a briefing on the homeless camps at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard.

Wu said appointing a cabinet chief to oversee the city's opioid epidemic will be one of the first decisions she makes as mayor.

"This is the urgent priority to address," Wu told the Globe. "The needs are so dire on the ground, and it's the most urgent crisis to get a hold of. People want to see action, and they want to see residents who are struggling connected with services, treated with dignity, and accessing housing before it gets cold."

Read more from the Boston Globe.

Top stories

A company that makes some of the freshest kicks out there is moving its offices out of Boston and Westford, but it's not going far. The global sports brand Puma will open its North American headquarters at Assembly Row in Somerville. The facility, which offers 150,000 square feet of office space, will be home to the 450 employees who previously worked at the company's former Massachusetts offices. (Boston Patch)

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate at Mass General Brigham is here to stay, after a federal judge on Thursday denied a request by a group of employees who are trying to prevent the hospital system from firing them on Friday, because they have not complied with the mandate. The group of more than 260 employees has claimed their firing by the state's largest hospital system would be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or in violation of their First Amendment religious rights. (Boston Patch)

A student attack on a Dorchester high school principal left her unconscious for four minutes and was witnessed by students, many of whom suffer from significant physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Police say they took a 16-year-old student at Dr. William Henderson Inclusion School into custody after she got angry and punched Principal Patricia Lampron. The violence left the school community shook and has parents questioning if staff have the resources needed to help children deal with trauma brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. (Boston Globe)

A lighter touch

A hair salon owner on Newbury Street is doing a lot more than styling up the latest hair trends. She's also helping people experiencing medical-related hair loss. Patricia Wrixon, the owner of The Salon at 10 Newbury, is creating wigs of all lengths, colors and textures. Wrixon has been working in hair replacement and restoration for nearly 40 years, and said she was inspired to help when a childhood friend was diagnosed with cancer. (WCVB Boston)

Final respects for Sox legend

Fans gathered at a Waltham funeral home Thursday to mourn Red Sox Hall of Famer and longtime broadcaster Jerry Remy, 68, who died Saturday after a 13-year battle with lung cancer. Over a six-hour period, hundreds of fans decked out in Red Sox gear came out to honor the "RemDawg" one last time. Some shared with the Boston Globe what Remy meant to them throughout his years as a second baseman and NESN broadcaster. (Boston Globe)

Elsewhere in Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is grappling with a series of student deaths, according to a report. Four students have died on campus since July with the latest on Monday, according to WBUR. At least two of the deaths have been confirmed as suicides. (Worcester Patch)

Weather: The National Weather Service says mostly sunny, with a high near 51. North wind, 7 to 9 mph.

– Jimmy Bentley

About me: Jimmy Bentley is a Massachusetts and Rhode Island field editor for Patch covering Cape Cod, Braintree, Barrington, East Greenwich, East Providence and North Kingstown. He was a reporter at the Plympton-Halifax Express and interned for Patch while earning his master's at Emerson College. In his free time, Jimmy hits concerts (sometimes reviewing them for Patch), watches movies and plays ice hockey.