Welcome to Monday.

• Today's newsletter covers Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins' federal extortion trial and Boston musicians reminiscing about the glory days of Daddy's Junky Music.

🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, with a high of 82 and a low of 62.

🎶 Sounds like: "Deeper Well" by Kacey Musgraves, who plays TD Garden on Friday.

Congrats to Friday's news quiz winner who got 5/5 right: Thomas Sproat.

Today's newsletter is 1,050 words — a 4-minute read.

Deehan here with Spill of the Hill, my column unraveling Massachusetts politics.

Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins heads to federal court Monday to face extortion charges that could end his 13-year tenure and land him in prison.

Why it matters: A conviction would cost the powerful Democratic insider his $191,000 annual salary and his ample pension.

• It would also send shockwaves through Democratic political circles and the state's highly regulated cannabis industry.

Catch up quick: Federal prosecutors allege Tompkins used his office to squeeze cannabis executive Frank Perullo for $50,000 in pre-IPO stock in Ascend Wellness in 2020.

• He demanded a refund after those shares weren't as valuable as he'd hoped, authorities say.
• The alleged leverage stemmed from the power Tompkins had over the company through a hiring arrangement.
• Ascend depended on referrals from Tompkins' jails to meet state social equity mandates and keep its marijuana license.

The other side: Defense attorney Martin Weinberg counters that Tompkins bought the stock like any normal investor.

• He says the sheriff's deep social ties to the company's leadership are proof extortion wasn't needed.

Between the lines: Tompkins has built deep roots in the Boston Democratic establishment since Gov. Deval Patrick appointed him in 2013.

• Elected officials hesitated to call for his resignation following his Aug. 8 arrest in Florida. That reflects Tompkins' entrenched influence.

Yes, but: Jurors might not get to hear about Tompkins' past missteps.

• Weinberg is fighting to exclude two prior state ethics violations: a 2015 campaign sign dispute and a 2023 scandal involving a taxpayer-funded job for his niece.
• Prosecutors want them admitted to prove Tompkins knows the boundaries between public duty and personal gain.

By the numbers: 40 years behind bars is the maximum combined sentence for the two felony extortion counts, plus $500,000 in fines.

• One year has passed with the department operating in limbo under an appointed special sheriff.

What's next: State law says a guilty verdict would automatically strip Tompkins of his seat if he receives a prison sentence.

• If the seat opens, expect a special election with names like former primary challenger Sandy Zamor Calixte in the mix.

What we're watching: There could be rumbles of a broader political debate over whether sheriffs should be appointed rather than elected.

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🎻 Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and management reached a last-minute deal Sunday to extend their contract for 48 hours, avoiding a strike. (Globe)

• BSO president Chad Smith said a "ratification vote is pending," but gave no other details.

Cambridge police fatally shot a man Friday night, after they say he got out of a car and pointed his gun at officers. (Globe)

• Officers were responding to a report of suspicious individuals lingering behind businesses when the incident happened.

🇺🇸 Twelve green card holders became U.S. citizens last week, months after suing the federal government over being denied the chance to naturalize. (GBH News)

❌ The WNDR Museum in Downtown Crossing will close on Aug. 30, two years after opening. (CBS Boston)

⚖️ ICYMI: Shannon O'Brien, the former Cannabis Control Commission chair who spent two years fighting for her job back, filed a new lawsuit accusing Treasurer Deb Goldberg of violating her civil rights. (Universal Hub)

• O'Brien seeks $3 million for lost wages, emotional distress, reputational damage and attorney fees from the first legal battle.

Daddy's Junky Music has been gone for nearly 15 years.

• Boston musicians spent time this week trading memories of Daddy's, the discount instrument chain that once anchored Massachusetts Avenue near Berklee's campus.

Why it matters: For decades, the Boston shop was a rite of passage for students, working musicians and wannabe guitar gods pining over a shiny new-to-you Strat or Les Paul.

• The shop's ethos seems old-fashioned now: offering new and used gear at prices meant to undercut pawn shops.

A Reddit post reminiscing about Daddy's sparked hundreds of comments this week from locals who bought their first guitars, basses and amps at the beloved shop.

State of play: Commenters recalled the shop's clearance basement, a wall of used pedals and buying gear from sales reps they knew by name.

• A few noted the block also housed Wurlitzer, Jack's Drum Shop and Cambridge Music before Guitar Center eventually took over the neighborhood.

What they're saying: "They could've taken us for a ride," Reddit user -Dr-Decker- recalled about a trip to the Peabody store in the early '90s.

• "They didn't — they hooked me up w a setup that would last me from learning to mid grade for dirt cheap. Almost like when people used to give a shit," they wrote.

Flashback: The store sat at 165 Mass. Ave., in the heart of Berklee's neighborhood, and was known for expert staff and a rotating stock of used instruments.

• Daddy's Junky Music Stores Inc. ceased operations at every location in October 2011, ending a nearly 40-year run.

The bottom line: A decade-and-a-half later, the store still lives on in the memories of the musicians it outfitted.

Share with someone who'll remember

Monday, 8/24

Myles Smith at Leader Bank Pavilion brings his My Mess, My Heart, My Life Tour to the waterfront for a Monday night show, 7pm.

Tuesday, 8/25

Jazz at Ramler Park features the Kenji Kikuchi Jazz Quartet in a free outdoor concert, 6:30pm.

Wednesday, 8/26

Mayor's Movie Nights in Charlestown offers a free outdoor screening of the animated film GOAT, dusk.

Thursday, 8/27

Meltt at The Sinclair welcomes the atmospheric indie-rock band to the club stage, supported by Los Eclipses, 7pm.

Friday, 8/28

Kacey Musgraves at TD Garden kicks off the weekend with her massive Middle of Nowhere tour. The Grammy-winner performs alongside special guest Midland, 7:30pm.

Deehan had a great weekend.

Steph started reading "Bodega Stories" by Lowell Sun alum Amaris Castillo.

This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.