Stories

Episode 234: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Faces Challenges In New England; The Lasting Impact Of Pop Star Selena

January 21, 2021

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are the first of their kind to use mRNA. This week on NEXT, how this new experimental technology could help fight diseases like cancer and cystic fibrosis. Plus, some of the challenges of vaccine distribution in New England. And a new podcast, “Anything For Selena,” explores the Mexican American pop star’s legacy and what it shows us about belonging in America.

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Episode 231: How Fighting For Marriage Equality Unmade A Family; N.H. Man Lands In 1st Amendment Dispute After Insulting Cops

December 31, 2020

This week, in a special episode of NEXT, we listen to a collection of award-winning stories from the New England News Collaborative — from a retrospective on the couple that fought for marriage equality in Massachusetts, and later divorced, to a close look at a First Amendment dispute in New Hampshire.

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Episode 229: Deadly Outbreaks Persist At Nursing Homes; How Transportation Emissions Harm Our Health

December 17, 2020

Most COVID-19 deaths in New England can be tied to long-term care facilities. This week on NEXT, how a nursing home – spared from the virus for months – got hit this fall. Plus, the number of lives we could save if we cut our transportation emissions. And we’ll hear how the “Fauci effect” is driving up medical school applications.

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Episode 228: Getting The COVID Vaccine To New Englanders; Hunting And Hiking On The Rise Up North

December 10, 2020

The first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are expected to arrive as soon as mid-December, but it’s up to each state to figure out how to distribute the vaccines. This week on NEXT, we’ll hear about who gets priority in New England. Plus, some health experts question whether contract tracing is worth the investment. And as hunting license sales boom and more people hit the trails in northern New England, the benefits of getting outside.

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Episode 223: Inside New Hampshire’s Secret List of Cops With Credibility Issues

November 5, 2020

America is taking a hard look at policing right now. Many wonder: can we trust the cops? In states across the country, the answer to that question is already out there – on secret lists kept by government lawyers. This week on NEXT, “The List” from New Hampshire Public Radio, which looks at one state’s decades of secrecy around police misconduct and asks: why do these lists exist? And if they were finally made public, would they solve our policing problems?

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Episode 221: What’s Motivating Early Voters In New England; Toxic Dangers Lurking In Local Water

October 22, 2020

In-person voting has started in some New England states. This week on NEXT, we talk about what’s driving people to vote early this general election. Plus, as temperatures warm due to climate change, toxic cyanobacteria are increasingly polluting our water. And we talk to author Jennifer De Leon about “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From,” her new young adult novel set in Boston.

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Episode 220: The Maine Race That Could Help Flip The Senate; Coping With New England’s Severe Drought

October 15, 2020

After years of strong support from Maine constituents, Republican Sen. Susan Collins is in one of her greatest political fights. This week on NEXT, how a few highly contested races in New England could impact party control at the national level. Plus, we’ll talk about how New Englanders are coping with a severe drought.

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Episode 215: First-Gen Ivy Leaguer Straddles Two Worlds; Actor Luis Guzmán On Living In Vermont

September 10, 2020

The pandemic has been a balancing act for first-gen college students like Mikayla, who attends Brown University while worrying about her family back home. This week on NEXT, Mikayla’s audio diaries on navigating 2020 as an Ivy Leaguer and the daughter of undocumented immigrants. Plus, when a student gets COVID — what’s it like in the “isolation dorms”? And actor Luis Guzman on making Vermont his home.

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Episode 213: Bracing For The Return Of College Students; Why A Doctor Quit Showering Five Years Ago

August 27, 2020

College students are heading back to some New England campuses. This week on NEXT, how schools are dealing with the influx of students during a pandemic. Plus, a doctor who quit showering five years ago talks about the impact of “too much” hygiene on skin health. And a New Hampshire town considers how to honor a Black Revolutionary War hero who did not get his dues.

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Debate Over Science and Risks Shapes 3M’s Lawsuit Against N.H.’s PFAS Water Standards

November 4, 2019

New Hampshire’s strict new limits on PFAS chemicals have been in effect for more than a month now. Officials say the regulations are based on sound science. But the court battle against them is only just beginning. It’s spearheaded by 3M, the chemical company that helped invent PFAS. Their partners in New Hampshire include a cattle farmer, a fertilizer company and a town water utility.

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