Mass. officials decry month shorter census count

BOSTON — Census takers fanned out across neighborhoods in Massachusetts beginning last week as part of the nation’s once-in-a-decade population count, but state officials say a decision by the federal government to cut short the process could leave people uncounted.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday that it will end its counting on Sept. 30, a month earlier than planned, cutting short door-knocking efforts and the collection of responses online, over the phone and by mail.