Stories
Dan Keating made his way across the field on his horse, Juicy. She’s young but fast, a former racehorse and one of the best horses on the field. Keating hit the ball and glided forward, successfully completing a pass to himself. “Dan Keating coming through at speed,” the commentator’s voice boomed. “I think Keating might…
Read MoreOne of the most difficult decisions facing local and state officials in Maine is whether — and how — to reopen schools this fall. The state Department of Education has released its initial guidelines for reopening, with districts around the state likely to release their local plans over the next month. Reopening is also a…
Read MoreThe Rhode Island Town That Built American Monuments Debates The Future Of Its Own Columbus Statue
Standing in Wilcox Park in downtown Westerly recently, John Coduri said you don’t have to go far to see signs of Westerly’s proud granite history. Just look across the street, he said, for reminders of the companies and workers who helped build numerous landmarks around town. “Smith Granite Company—Christ Episcopal Church,” he said. “New England…
Read MoreSometimes, Taufiq Chowdhury wonders what his life would’ve been like if his aunt were still alive. Rita Hester used to visit him in Hartford with gifts for the whole family. She took him to see “Beauty and the Beast on Ice.” She showed him how to savor a good plate of mussels. She showed him how…
Read MoreCOVID And Black Lives Matter Have Spurred Real Change; Why Can’t Climate Change Do The Same?
Our new climate change reporting initiative, By Degrees, begins in an unprecedented time – one where people are making seismic shifts in their lifestyles and attitudes in response to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of our listeners have wondered: why haven’t people reacted the same way to the climate emergency, and could…
Read More‘Keep The Momentum’: How Massachusetts Companies Say They’ll Start — And Continue — To Fight Racism
George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, but his death hit home for Boston Scientific because the company has nearly 9,000 employees in Minnesota. “We immediately held listening sessions with our executives,” said Desiree Ralls-Morrison, a senior vice president and general counsel for the medical device maker. With or without a link to the Twin…
Read MoreThey Were Asked To Stay Home. But Some Thru-Hikers Insisted On Finishing The Appalachian Trail
Every year, several thousand adventurous souls set out to hike all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail. But this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, thru-hikers have been advised to put their dreams on hold. Some have refused. That refusal has created tension between those who want to push personal boundaries and those who say…
Read MoreChelsea City Manager Tom Ambrosino scanned the chart he uses to track the daily coronavirus case updates for this small, densely populated community. The chart peaked on April 13, when160 residents received positive test results. In the past week, the city recorded between zero and four new cases a day. Ambrosino liked what he saw.…
Read MoreIn Dorchester, where the clatter of a passing train gives way to the scrape of a rake, the Greenwood Street Community Garden is thriving. It’s one of roughly 175 community gardens scattered like jewels through the city of Boston. And at this time of pandemic and social upheaval, these gardens are being treasured. On a…
Read MoreThe World Health Organization officially gave COVID-19 its name in February. Before anyone knew what to call it, some U.S. politicians and journalists dubbed it “the Chinese virus” or “Wuhan Coronavirus,” referring to the city that saw the first cases. Those early labels fit into a long-ignored history of anti-Asian racism in the United States,…
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