Stories
Tanoah Pierre didn’t tell her family when she headed out to join demonstrators in downtown Boston late last May. She knew her relatives would be concerned about the coronavirus or the possibility that violence might break out and try to discourage her from going. But with the video of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s…
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People are dreaming of a less sequestered summer, and with COVID-19 restrictions easing, the Berkshires will be a destination for many. Business owners count on tourists coming to this relatively small region, rich in live music, theater and museums. For them, last summer was brutal. This year, it could almost feel like the old days.…
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Singing in South African languages connects Naledi Masilo to who she is and where she comes from. Since she was a kid in Johannesburg, the vocalist dreamed of studying in the U.S. but her family didn’t have the money. When she eventually won a scholarship three years ago to attend the New England Conservatory (NEC),…
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When COVID-19 shutdowns began last year, college students were sent home and tourists largely vanished. A place like Harvard Square depends on both, so it wasn’t surprising that local businesses owners were nervous. But more than a year later, out of 291 pre-pandemic businesses, roughly 85% managed to stay open, according to the Harvard Square…
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Take away Will Brown’s commute to and from his home on the Dorchester-Mattapan line — and he gets time to think. “After a school day, I normally go for a walk and just listen to some tunes,” Brown says. “Just… refocus myself, you know?” Brown, a junior at Boston Arts Academy, is still learning entirely remotely. So in…
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For 67 years, Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant has had one item starring on its menu. “I make turkey in every way you can imagine,” explains Sim Willey, third generation owner of this Meredith institution. “Turkey piccata, turkey dinner, turkey croquettes, turkey nuggets.” Hart’s is a big restaurant, seating about 600 diners at full capacity. On…
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Before COVID, one of Michael Besson’s biggest challenges in Boston Latin School was class change. “My bag is pretty heavy and it took a lot of work to move around,” he explained. “Plus, hallways were crowded. I use a cane and that slows me down even more.” Michael is legally blind. “I can see, but…
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Researchers at the University of New Hampshire are studying new ways to make syrup out of the northern forest — not from maple trees, but from beeches, birches, sycamores and more. They want to create new markets for an industry that, right now, depends on just one kind of tree – making it vulnerable to…
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