By Matt Stout — Governor Maura Healey is resurrecting a proposal at the center of a long-running legal dispute between wealthy property owners on Martha’s Vineyard that, if passed, could redefine when a beach in Massachusetts is considered public.

By Sabrina Shankman — In the age of climate change, as sea levels rise and more intense storms wear away the natural landscape that had protected coastal communities for generations, state and local officials are considering more radical measures, including paying people to abandon their waterfront properties altogether.