Wrong pot: What we know about Massachusetts' $2.5 billion payment snafu

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The sun is back — and so is the smog. Look outside and you’ll notice smoke from wildfires in Quebec has returned today, making for a "weirdly red and hazy sunrise," as WBUR's chief early bird Dan Guzman observed.

The smoke has led to an air quality alert for Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, meaning people with asthma, older adults and children should avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.

So, let's escape the haze and go inside the Golden Dome.

Big woops: Massachusetts officials disclosed last week that they accidentally used $2.5 billion in federal funds to cover jobless claims during pandemic — money that should have been paid by the state. Now, Gov. Maura Healey says they’re trying to work with the feds to find a resolution that "minimizes any impact to the commonwealth." But what happens next remains pretty unclear.

Coming soon: Last time we had a $2.5 billion surprise this time of year, it derailed the state's nearly finished tax cut plans. However, Senate President Karen Spilka told reporters yesterday that history won't repeat itself this time. "We will do a tax relief package, and it will be out soon," Spilka said of the Senate's long-awaited proposal.

Activist and former Harvard professor Cornel West announced yesterday that he will run for president next year as a third-party candidate, knocking both major parties in his announcement video.

Holograms won't be the only thing on display at Boston's planned Holocaust museum. The couple behind the museum unveiled renderings yesterday of the six-story Tremont Street building.

Out late tonight? Beware. The I-93 southbound tunnel through Boston will close to all traffic from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. tomorrow for maintenance. The closure will begin before the Zakim Bridge at the Sullivan Square exit in Somerville and includes all tunnel on-ramps.

P.S.— Our June fundraising goal is for 700 WBUR fans to become monthly contributors this week. Why? Because your monthly contributions go a long way toward keeping our journalism strong — and free — for our entire community. If you value that mission (or this newsletter), please consider making a monthly pledge today!