New England Weekend

Dr. David Hamer, Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University School of Public Health and School of Medicine, comes on the show to talk about the coronavirus pandemic. Nichole talks with him about how the virus presents, what to expect in the coming weeks, and how to take care of yourself. Plus, he answers listener questions! Ed Chase, the Director of CCRI at MassHousing, is also on the show. Four brand new grants were just approved for sober housing and recovery programs in Massachusetts. Ed and Nichole talk about those in depth, and the process that officials use to determine who gets those grants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Playwright Lisa Rafferty joins Nichole to talk about her new work, "ONWARD - Votes for Women". The documentary play highlights some of the voices and perspectives of women who fought to secure the right to vote, and those who continue the fight for equal rights today. Ricky DeSisto of Cardinal Cushing Centers and Kathryn Prioli of South Shore Bank talk about their upcoming St. Patrick's Day fundraiser to send this year's graduating class at Cardinal Cushing on the "Trip of a Lifetime" to Disney World!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Aaron Schmidt, assistant professor of microbiology at the Harvard Medical School and Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard answers listener questions about coronavirus. He also talks with Nichole about what the virus is, how much risk we are really under, and ways people can take effective preventive measures. Michelle Loglisci with Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete has the story of thousands of homes in central and western Massachusetts, built with concrete from a Connecticut quarry. The concrete was discovered to be contaminated with a mineral, pyrrhotite, which causes concrete to crumble. Now, the foundations of those homes are cracking, and she tells Nichole residents are desperate for help from Beacon Hill and the federal government to save their longtime homes - and avoid financial disaster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boston City Councilors Michelle Wu and Ed Flynn talk about their interactions with constituents in neighborhoods directly affected by Coronavirus fears, including Chinatown and the South End. They also discuss the hit to businesses, and resources for Bostonians to get more information about the virus. Mikaela McSherry, the Senior Director of Program Operations at Cambridge Network, talks about Chinese exchange students living in Massachusetts, how they're dealing with the pandemic, and support they're receiving from host families and schools.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bethany Coito, Youth Services Coordinator for the New Bedford Public Library, is on the show this week to talk about their new program called “Wash and Read”. The library’s stocking books in laundromats around the city to keep kids entertained and engaged while parents take care of their laundry. Yoichi Udagawa, conductor of the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, details the symphony’s upcoming concert that focuses on friends, and special pieces that celebrate those relationships. Dr. Jennifer Schwartz is the Medical Director of Health Services at Wellesley College. The school’s started up a one of a kind partnership with Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where the hospital’s essentially taken over all the health services for students on campus. She joins Nichole to break down the services this covers, where the idea came from and how the rollout is going.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rep. Chynah Tyler (D- Suffolk 7th) comes on the show to tell us about the Boston Black Restaurant Challenge. She talks with Nichole about the restaurants involved in the Challenge, how it was developed to honor Black History Month, and the extra set of hurdles Black business owners face - not just in Boston, but around the country. Genevra Morse, Director of Education and Online Programs for the New England Historical Genealogical Society, is on the show to talk about the Society’s new “Four Nation” Concert Series. This is the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower landing, but the history is far more complex than many of us may realize. Genevra explains the roles of the Dutch, English, and Wampanoag in the story of the Pilgrims, and details the lecture-concert series that kicks off next week with music that has roots from centuries ago.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janet Lipkin, the volunteer coordinator at the Sudbury Senior Center, talks with Nichole about their program dedicated to helping seniors access important medical equipment. Erosion's wearing away at a neighborhood in Eastham, on the Outer Cape, and Town Administrator Jacqueline Beebe details the town's plan to fight back against the waves. Plus, bonus stories from WBZ's Ben Parker, Carl Stevens and Kim Tunnicliffe!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nichole's joined by Marc Hurwitz, author of two well known Boston-area restaurant blogs – Boston’s Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk. We discuss the state of the Boston restaurant industry – why are so many of our favorites closing? He also gives us some recommendations, and we talk about road trip suggestions where you can get a great meal around New England.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nichole speaks with four experts about all facets of postpartum depression, from the biology behind it to signs and symptoms. She also discusses resources for sufferers in New England and around the country, efforts to fight the stigma, and legislation from Beacon Hill to Capitol Hill.She's joined by Jessie Colbert, the Executive Director of the Mass. PPD Fund; Dr. Leena Mittal, the Director of the Division of Women's Mental Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Associate Medical Director for MCPAP for Moms; Dr. Lauren Brown, a clinical perinatal psychologist who volunteers with PSI Massachusetts; and Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, the founder of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.CONTENT WARNING: Suicide, depression, violence, mental healthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Project Bread's Erin McAleer joins Nichole to talk about the state of food insecurity in Massachusetts, and what's being done to help everyone put food on the table. Mark Rousseau, a marine biologist with the Department of Marine Fisheries, talks about the Commonwealth's five artificial reefs off the coast, and how materials we discard can be turned into habitats for marine life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massachusetts State Treasurer Deb Goldberg tells Nichole about the state's new program to help families save for college from birth, Baby Steps. Julie Leven, Founder and Artistic Director of Shelter Music Boston, talks about the group's performances in homeless shelters and rehab centers across the state, and their mission to help those going through a vulnerable time through music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massachusetts' Deputy State Fire Marshal, Maribel Fournier, comes on the show to talk about all things fire safety as we get ready for the long winter ahead. Brooke Maher, the event director for Boston's First Night celebration, has all the details about the events scheduled to ring in the new year. WBZ reporters Kim Tunnicliffe, Carl Stevens, Karyn Regal and Kendall Buhl bring us stories from the holiday season around Massachusetts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan Turnquist, the executive director of Orchard House in Concord, talks about their efforts to remember Louisa May Alcott, the author of "Little Women", as excitement grows for the new movie. Rodney Rowland of the Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH has details about the museum's Candlelight Stroll, taking you back in time to holidays past.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne Maas, the Interim Executive Director and President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, has details on this month's Festival of Trees in Wellesley, and how critical this fundraiser is to the group. Robb Osinski and Betty Gower of Bambu Global, based in Lowell, talk about groundbreaking technology that allows people to "turn off" their tattoos, and how they plan to help people with chronic medical conditions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean O'Brien, the President of Teamsters Local 25, talks about their annual Christmas toy drive, and other charitable work union members are taking part in. Adam Vaccaro, transportation reporter for the Boston Globe, talks about the "Seeing Red" Spotlight investigation, and the state of transportation in Massachusetts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Hanney, owner and producer of the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, comes on the show to talk about the return of a holiday classic. Concord's getting ready for a huge cheese parade, and Concord Cheese Shop owner Peter Lovis has all the details. Dr. Jillian Frank, a psychologist from Brookline, details her project that brings new life to American Girl dolls and gets them to foster children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dar Heikkinen, the Director of Outreach for the Clay Soper Memorial Fund in Winchester, talks about "If They Had Known", a documentary created to remember a life taken too soon and prevent more teen deaths from the mixture of alcohol and prescription drugs. Kara Elliott Ortega, Boston's Chief of Arts and Culture, talks about the city's search for its first ever Teen Poet Laureate. Julia Driscoll and Grace Moore talk about their upcoming Wicked Women Makers Market, which gives South Shore artisans a chance to showcase their creations. Special stories, too, from WBZ reporters Carl Stevens and Kim Tunnicliffe!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mélida Arredondo, co-founder of the Arredondo Family Foundation, joins Herb Chambers Companies CEO Alan McLaren in the studio to talk about their annual turkey drive to benefit low-income veterans, families of the fallen, military families, and active duty members. Jason McCuish, a teacher at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, and his student, Erick Hernandez, have details on their leadership group, SkillsUSA, and their push to build an inclusive playground at Harrington Elementary School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jasmine Grace, founder and director of Bags of Hope Ministries, comes on the show to tell her incredible story. Grace was trafficked for years, and was able to escape her abuser, only to fall victim to a drug habit. She details her path to sobriety, and how she's now able to pay it forward to help other women through her non-profit. This is the complete interview; an abridged version ran on broadcast radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lynn Margherio, the CEO and Founder of Cradles To Crayons, talks with Nichole about clothing insecurity, how it affects low income families, and what we can do to help kids stay warm this winter here in Massachusetts. CherylAnn Gengel, the co-founder of Be Like Brit in Worcester, explains how her group is trying to assist their orphanage in Haiti from afar as political unrest continues. Ellen LeBow, an artist from Cambridge, details the decades of unique placemats she made for the now-shuttered Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nichole speaks with Abby Kelly, the owner of Gluten Free New England, about living with food allergies and her directory of gluten-free-friendly establishments in New England. Lyndia Downie of Pine Street Inn joins the show to talk about their 50th anniversary fundraising drive to create more stable housing for Boston’s homeless. Liz Vizza, the Executive Director of the Friends of the Public Garden, has details on renovations coming to the Shaw 54th Memorial on Beacon Hill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nichole talks with New Bedford's Superintendent of Schools, Thomas Anderson, about new family engagement centers in the city's schools. Kay Herlihy from the Greater Haverhill League of Women Voters talks about her city's part in the suffragette movement and previews the weekend's Suffragette Parade. Darrin Korte and David Lightfoot Bellow from Cambridge's The Hip Hop Transformation tell us how they help teens tap into their creativity while learning about hip-hop music and culture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's "New England Weekend" debuts! Nichole speaks with Marty Martinez, Boston's Chief of Health and Human Services, about the city's "Mass and Cass 2.0" plan. She also talks to this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Dr. William Kaelin of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Professor Nikolay Anguelov at UMass Dartmouth about "fast fashion" and learning to shop sustainably.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.