Stories
Maine Lobstermen Skeptical Of Proposal To Tie ‘Whale-Safe’ Seafood Label To Use Of New Fishing Gear
A movement is emerging among conservation groups to create a “whale-safe” seal of approval for lobster caught with new types of gear designed to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. But it could be a tough sell in Maine, where some say the iconic fishery is already sustainable. A specific “whale-friendly” or even “whale-safe” brand…
Read MoreWhile Others Wait, One Teen In Boston Is Granted Medical Deferred Action
Months after federal immigration officials reinstated deferred action for medical cases, a family in Boston who feared they’d be removed from the U.S. — even as their son continued to need life-saving treatments — now has clarity. Originally from Honduras, the Sanchez family came to Boston three years ago seeking proper health care for their…
Read MoreWhen we think about animals that inhabit the cold New England ocean, sharks, seals, or lobsters may spring to mind. But there’s another critter lurking in the deep off our coast, and it’s one that may hold valuable secrets that could help its tropical cousins. And you may not have even known that it’s actually…
Read MoreThis month, a group of states, including Massachusetts, will release a plan to cut carbon emissions from the region’s biggest source — transportation. The effort is called the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). The states are focused on limiting carbon emissions from fuel. Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration has estimated TCI could generate up to $500 million…
Read MoreWhat It’s Like To Switch From Car Travel To A Daily Train Commute
Heather Brandon used to drive from her home in Hartford, Connecticut, to work in Springfield, Massachusetts. It would take her anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. But this summer, she committed to taking the train. Producer Morgan Springer talked to her about the commute while Brandon, who works at New England…
Read MoreFrom Nigeria To The Bangor City Council: Angela Okafor Makes History
Earlier this month, Angela Okafor made history. She’s believed to be the first immigrant and person of color elected to the Bangor City Council. Okafor’s journey to elected office has required her to navigate numerous barriers in order to make a living in Maine. And now she’s dedicated to supporting other immigrants in an overwhelmingly…
Read MoreEMS Crews Brought Patients To The Hospital With Misplaced Breathing Tubes. None Of Them Survived.
In the summer of 2018, Dr. Nick Asselin was doing research on cardiac arrests in Rhode Island when he made a horrifying discovery. Hospital records showed patients had been arriving by ambulance with misplaced breathing tubes, sending air into their stomachs instead of their lungs, essentially suffocating them. At first, he said, there were four…
Read More‘Worse For Care’: When Elder Homes Stumble, Frail Vermonters Get Hurt
Marilyn Kelly’s health declined quickly during her eight months at an eldercare home. The 78-year-old entered Our House Too in Rutland a spirited woman who could cast a fishing rod. She soon began taking falls, and her visiting daughters often found their mother slumped in a stupor. They blamed her dementia at first. Then they…
Read MoreIn Smith Swastika Incident, One Professor Asks: ‘Can We Stay Focused On The Fascists?’
Visiting Smith College professor Loretta Ross has been taking on neo-Nazis for decades. Back in the 1990s, while working at the Center for Democratic Renewal — a national anti-hate group — Ross received a call from a man named Floyd Cochran. “And immediately, without even thinking, I blurted out: the Floyd Cochran?” Ross said. “’Cause…
Read MoreAn ‘African-American Musical Portrait’ Marking 400 Years Since U.S. Slavery’s Inception
Historians still debate when groups of Africans were first taken by Europeans and brought against their will to the Americas. Many say 2019 is the 400th anniversary of the start of slavery in the U.S. Acclaimed jazz bassist Avery Sharpe has taken this significant number, and wrote a new hour-long piece called “400.” Sharpe lives in…
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