--The Department of Social Services, whose name has come up more than once in investigations of the deaths of children in this state, received a D minus from the watchdog group the Children's Advocacy Institute. [Boston Herald, DSS in Bostonist]

--Bad: A water main broke on Devonshire Street. Worse: The damage was so bad that repairs will continue through the summer. Worst: No hot water or heat until THURSDAY. [WBZ, Boston Globe]

--Pour one out for yet another Globe writer who is leaving the paper. Tom Palmer, who covered real estate, accepted a buyout. [Media Nation]

--The Daily Free Press gets to sink its teeth into something salacious: How the BPD is busting pimps and prostitutes, including one woman known as the "Queen of Craigslist," online. [BU Daily Free Press]

--The Cambridge City Council is "looking into" pedestrian safety after Harvard grad student Isaac Meyers died when a Shaw's truck ran over him. A higher police presence was encouraged. Here's an idea--how about staggering the lights for when cars can go or for when pedestrians can go? And maybe actually ticketing people for jaywalking or running lights? [Harvard Crimson]

Image of Beacon Hill trees in bloom by k a t m from photos tagged "Bostonist" on Flickr.