State legislature imposes a nine-month shelter stay limit

Another step toward reduced-fare for low-income T riders: Last week, the MBTA board of directors voted in favor of offering a reduced-fare program for low-income adults across the transit system, including for The Ride -- the MBTA's paratransit service. It's a huge victory for advocates who have been pushing for such a program for more than a decade. by The Common

14 min listen

Your competitive electric supplier could be costing you: Have you ever answered a knock on your door to find someone asking to see your electric bill? Perhaps with the promise of getting you a better deal? If so, you might've come face-to-face with a representative from a competitive electric supplier -- an industry that has been tied to high rates targeting some of the states' most vulnerable residents. by The Common

15 min listen

Community as a tool for climate resilience: April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate. by The Common

14 min listen

How climate change and LBTQ rights intersect: James Comiskey is an activist with Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement that aims to use nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action on climate change. He’s also a co-leader of Boston’s Rainbow Rebellion, which is an offshoot of the group focused on the intersection of climate and LGBTQ issues. by The Common

13 min listen

Lawmakers look closely at Steward and private equity in healthcare: Earlier this year, we learned that financial challenges at Steward Healthcare System, a for-profit company, were jeopardizing the company's ability to run its Massachusetts hospitals. Over the last couple of weeks, lawmakers, including U.S. Senators for Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, held hearings on Beacon Hill examining Steward’s financial problems and the role of private equity in healthcare. by The Common

14 min listen

What to do this month: Picnics, crafted beer and a racing adventure: It may be gray outside, but never fear -- WBUR Assistant Director of CitySpace Candice Springer is back on The Common with a list of fun-filled happenings to get you out of your house and on the town this April. by The Common

15 min listen

Buying weed at Boston's first Black woman-owned dispensary: Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis in 2016. According to the state, the industry here has grossed nearly $6 billion from hundreds of dispensaries across the state. As part of WBUR's Field Guide to Boston, we want to offer a quick guide for those who are curious about cannabis in Massachusetts. by The Common

14 min listen

From the newsroom: The Boston Marathon is every runner's dream, including mine: Today, more than 30,000 runners will participate in the 128th Boston Marathon. Among those running are no less than five members of the WBUR staff, including Climate and Environment Correspondent, Barbara Moran. by The Common

8 min listen

A gunshot detection system in Somerville: Somerville is re-evaluating the use of ShotSpotter, a surveillance system that detects sounds indicative of gunfire. The devices have drawn scrutiny locally after leaked internal data revealed disproportionately high use in minority communities. by The Common

12 min listen

EPA sets new nationwide restrictions on PFAS levels in drinking water: The EPA introduced new drinking-water standards to reduce exposure to "forever chemicals" linked to health risks like cancer. by The Common

12 min listen

Kids on Spectacle Island grade their first eclipse: On Monday, almost 300 people, many of whom were families with kids, boarded a ferry and headed out to Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor to take in the solar eclipse over the Boston skyline. The event, "[Not Quite] Total Eclipse of the Park" was hosted by Boston Harbor Now in partnership with Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. by The Common

9 min listen

This Chelsea teen is organizing her peers for a greener future: April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate. by The Common

14 min listen

Slow runner? Join the club!: Host Darryl C. Murphy talked to Martinus Evans, founder of "Slow AF Run Club", about his journey as a runner and his work to make the sport of running more welcoming. by The Common

14 min listen

More EVs are hitting our streets, but not fast enough: More electric vehicles are hitting the streets in Boston, making it one of the biggest EV markets in the country. However, adoption still lags behind similar metro areas across the country and experts worry that the growing number of EVs is still not enough to help the state reach its emission goals. by The Common

14 min listen

The case against alleged predator Alvin Campbell: Alvin Campbell, an alleged serial rapist, was arrested in 2020 for sexual assault. A new investigation by WBUR finds that at the time of his arrest, Campbell had already been reported for multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault dating back to 2016. He is also the brother of Massachusetts District Attorney Andrea Campbell. by The Common

13 min listen

Boston City Council weighs potential for a rat-focused city department: Last week, the Boston City Council met to discuss one of the top, pressing issues facing our city: The rat population causing a nuisance to residents citywide. by The Common

13 min listen

WBUR will cut up to 14% of staff with buyouts and layoffs: We're going to be upfront with you. Last week was a hard one at WBUR. On Wednesday it was announced that the station would be cutting up to 14% of its staff through buyouts and layoffs in an attempt to reduce the station’s expenses by $4 million. by The Common

16 min listen

State legislature imposes a nine-month shelter stay limit: Last Thursday, the Massachusetts House and Senate voted to pass a supplementary budget that will provide an additional $251 million to the family shelter system. It also imposed a maximum of nine months stay limit for current families living in the state's emergency shelters, with certain people eligible for an extension waiver. Now, the bill awaits Governor Maura Healey’s signature. by The Common

12 min listen

What's going on with the student protest encampments: Late Wednesday night, a protest encampment created by students at Emerson College was forcibly removed by police. Over 100 protesters were arrested in the clearing, and multiple injuries have been reported. by The Common

14 min listen

A tale of two transit agencies: Late last month, the MBTA announced it would be paying an additional $148 million to the Chinese locomotive manufacturer CRRC, in hopes of pushing the company to complete its order for desperately needed T cars. Meanwhile, last week the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, canceled its $185 million contract to buy passenger rail cars from CRRC. by The Common

11 min listen

A conversation with Leslie Jonas, Indigenous land and water conservationist: April is Earth Month, and throughout we have featured weekly conversations with some of the people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate. Our final guest for these Earth Month discussions is Leslie Jonas, an Indigenous land and water conservationist and an elder eel clan member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. by The Common

14 min listen

What humanitarian parole means for Boston's Haitian community: The policy allows temporary entry for migrants from certain countries during emergencies and national unrest. by The Common

13 min listen

Caribbean coalition launches to unite communities: Boston is a cultural hub for Caribbean communities, with people originally from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad, and other Caribbean countries, comprising nearly 9% of the city's population. The new Boston Caribbean American Association in Dorchester aims to unite these communities and promote year-round political and civic engagement. by The Common

12 min listen

A cannabis 'pipe dream': When the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission launched its Social Equity Program, it promised a pathway for groups disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs into the newly legalized cannabis market. But today, social equity operators are finding that getting into the cannabis business is a far cry from the lucrative opportunity it once was. by The Common

14 min listen

Funding runs out for state programs housing former Mass. and Cass inhabitants: When the city removed a tent encampment in the area known as Mass and Cass back in November, officials offered to help people find housing as part of a plan to help keep them off the streets. Now, two state run housing programs that were part of the effort are slated to close. by The Common

12 min listen

Psychedelics in Massachusetts: The legacy of Timothy Leary: Advocates behind a proposed ballot measure that could decriminalize certain plant-based hallucinogens, a.k.a. psychedelics, are gathering signatures to get the question on the November ballot. This week, The Common will present a three-part series that explores the past, present and future of psychedelics and what their decriminalization could mean for Massachusetts. by The Common

14 min listen

Massachusetts considers 'Ebony Alert' to help find missing Black women and girls: Black women and girls make up a disproportionate number of the nation’s missing people, almost one in five. Here in Massachusetts, that number is harder to determine since there are few protocols on tracking these cases. Now, a new bill on Beacon Hill seeks to shine a light on how missing persons cases involving Black women and girls are handled. by The Common

13 min listen

Lawmakers react to WBUR investigation into police handling of rape cases: Several weeks ago, WBUR published an investigation examining how police in Massachusetts handle reports of sexual assault and rape. The piece, which focused on alleged serial rapist Alvin Campbell (brother of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell), has garnered the attention of state lawmakers who wish to make changes to the Commonwealth's systems and protocols around such cases. by The Common

15 min listen

Psychedelics in Massachusetts: The ballot question on decriminalization: A proposed ballot measure to decriminalize certain plant-based psychedelics in Massachusetts is now in progress, with activists gathering another 12,429 signatures by July 3 to secure ballot placement in the November election. by The Common

13 min listen

Psychedelics in Massachusetts: The future of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, which could become the first psychedelic-assisted therapy as early as August. by The Common

13 min listen

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State legislature imposes a nine-month shelter stay limit

State legislature imposes a nine-month shelter stay limit

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