The Common

In a section of Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, residents have a life expectancy of nearly 92. Travel just two miles away to Roxbury's Nubian Square, and the life expectancy for area Bostonians drops below 69. That's a stark, 23 year difference. These findings come from a new Boston Public Health Commission report. Today, WBUR Reporter Martha Bebinger joins The Common to walk through some of the startling findings from this analysis, and for a look at some of the factors that contribute to this disparity. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston is known as a runner's city. But last month, running groups with predominantly Black membership, including Pioneers Run Crew and TrailblazHers, reported being targeted by police while spectating the Boston Marathon. In light of this event, and as the weather warms up and brings runners outside, Jeff Davis, founder of another running group for Black runners, Black Men Run Boston, joins The Common. Black Men Run Boston is the local chapter of the national Black Men Run organization, which aims to create a safe and health-centered space for Black men to run and walk in community. Today, Jeff Davis shares his experience running while Black in Boston, and discusses what he believes can be done to make running more inclusive in the city. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Some families in Cambridge will soon be eligible to receive $500, each month, for 18 months, no strings attached. It's the product of a new program called Rise Up Cambridge, which seeks to partially address poverty through direct income payments. WBUR Senior Business Reporter Zeninjor Enwemeka joins The Common to walk us through this program, and where it fits into a broader, national movement in support of guaranteed income. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's been more than three years since the coronavirus state of emergency was first put in place. It finally ends on May 11th. WBUR Senior Health Reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey joins The Common to help us understand this new phase of the pandemic and what this change means for remaining COVID measures. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

No, the government is not coming for your gas stove. At least not this second. But your stove could have implications for the health of your household (gas stoves are the top trigger for pediatric asthma in the state, for example), as well as our environment. WBUR Climate and Environment Correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common to discuss alternatives, as well as safety tips, for cooking with gas. Editor's note: A previous version of the audio portion of this story incorrectly stated the number of Boston homes with gas stove leaks. The story has been corrected. We regret the error. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Have you ever had someone knock on your door, ask to see your electric bill and then promise you a better deal? There's a good chance this was a competitive energy supplier, and this so-called "deal" may cost you in the long run. Today, WBUR Senior Climate and Environment Reporter Miriam Wasser joins The Common to take us through the first piece in her three-part series looking into competitive electric suppliers and the vulnerable communities they harm the most. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's May, which, according to assistant director for WBUR CitySpace Candice Springer, is the perfect time to catch a musical. Today on The Common, Candice joins the show with some of her top theatrical picks for the month of May. Candice recommends... Bettlejuice: Citizen Bank Opera House, May 2nd - May 14 The Prom: Speakeasy Stage Company at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion, May 5th - June 10th Evita: American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, May 17th - July 16th Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Three years ago, the coronavirus pandemic brought Boston's theater scene to a screeching halt. Venues are now welcoming back audiences for performances, but as WBUR Arts and Culture Reporter Amelia Mason reports, business is far from usual. Amelia joins The Common to discuss how COVID-19 has changed Boston's theater scene as a part of WBUR Arts' four part series on arts after the pandemic. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

People in their twenties make up one-fifth of Boston's population, but some of these young people are struggling to make it in the city as the cost of living soars. Boston Globe Reporter Diti Kohli talked to more than two dozen Gen Z residents living in Boston to learn what financial concerns are making them question their future in the city. Today, she joins The Common to walk through the impact of debt, economic uncertainty and other money woes that are top of mind for Boston's under-25 crowd. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A study from Common Good Labs, a data science firm based out of Pittsburg, and the Brookings Institution has identified nearly 200 neighborhoods across the country that have done the seemingly impossible: Increase neighborhood wealth, without pushing out the original residents. One of those neighborhoods is Boston's very own Upham's Corner in Dorchester. Common Good Labs partner Rohit Acharya joins The Common to break down how Upham's Corner did it, and how the neighborhood can be used as a model for other communities. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The MBTA is facing yet another financial challenge, this time in the form of its pension program. According to an arbitration document obtained by WBUR, at its current trajectory, pension expenses could make the agency 'insolvent' by 2038. WBUR Transportation Reporter Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez joins The Common explore how the MBTA got to this point, and what this could mean for its financial future. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston police received 116 reports of drink spiking in Boston last year. The alarming uptick in reports has continued into 2023, with BPD publishing a community alert on the issue last week. Casey Corcoran, senior director of prevention outreach and education at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), joins The Common to share tips on how to prevent drink spiking in bars and other establishments. Producer's note: Survivors of sexual assault can find resources with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center at barcc.org or by calling their hotline, 800-841-8371. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Nearly half of all students in Brockton Public Schools speak a language other than English at home. The district's Multilingual Parent Communication Center is working to make translation and interpretation services more accessible to families who don't speak English as a first language by centralizing services, and offering support both within and beyond the school system. WBUR Senior Education Reporter Carrie Jung joins The Common with more on Brockton Public School's efforts to support immigrant and non-English-speaking families in the community. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston's rent control proposal needs approval from the Massachusetts State Legislature in order to become local law. A new report from The Boston Globe looks into the property holdings of the lawmakers who will be responsible for making this decision, in both the house and the senate, to gain an understanding of how many legislators rent, versus own their home, and how many are landlords. The Globe finds that about 86% of the state legislature owns homes, compared to only 61% of the state population, and that 36 members of the legislature own rental properties, while only 19 members confirmed to the Globe that they rent their homes. Boston Globe Politics Reporter Emma Platoff joins The Common for a deeper look at this story. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Former employees of establishments owned by local celebrity chef Barbara Lynch are stepping forward, accusing Lynch of creating a toxic workplace. The allegations against Lynch, who owns businesses including No. 9 Park, The Butcher Shop and Seaport-based bar, Drink, include lashing out at staff and guests, unwanted touching and threats of violence. Boston Globe Business Enterprise Reporter Janelle Nanos joins The Common to discuss the allegations and where they fit into the larger conversation about toxic workplaces in the Boston restaurant scene. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Common team is taking the day to rest and rejuvenate after a very busy few weeks (did you catch our special climate series last week? If not, listen back!) so today, we bring you a feature from the WBUR newsroom. It’s from reporter Arielle Gray and it’s about the work of renowned artist Simone Leigh, who explores Black womanhood through the use of clay, bronze and ceramics. Last year, Leigh became the first Black woman to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale, which is one of the largest and most storied contemporary art exhibitions in the world. Now, the pieces she created for the Biennale are on display at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, making their U.S. debut. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Earth Week on The Common. And in honor of our home planet, we're bringing you a special series. Every day this week, we're exploring what climate change looks and feels like in Greater Boston, and how it's impacting our communities, right now. Today we wrap up our week-long series with some ways you can get involved and give back to our planet this Earth Day, and beyond, with Sara Winslow, education associate at the Museum of Science's Current Science Communication Department. Head to WBUR for Sara's full list of recommendations. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Earth Week on The Common. And in honor of our home planet, we're bringing you a special series. Every day this week, we're exploring what climate change looks and feels like in Greater Boston, and how it's impacting our communities, right now. Today's destination: Boston's South End The entire city of Boston is a heat island, but some parts of the city, including the South End, can get particularly hot on high-temperature days. Today on The Common, we head to the South End to get a better idea of what makes a heat island, and who is most likely to be impacted by extreme heat. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Earth Week on The Common. And in honor of our home planet, we're bringing you a special series. Every day this week, we're exploring what climate change looks and feels like in Greater Boston, and how it's impacting our communities, right now. Today's destination: Crane Ledge Woods Today, The Common heads to Hyde Park in Boston, where a coalition of residents are fighting to preserve a property known as Crane Ledge Woods. The 24 acre parcel is the largest unprotected wild in Boston, and is currently being prospected by Texas-based development company, Lincoln Properties, who hopes to build a 270 unit apartment complex at the site. Residents say that losing the woods will exacerbate the effects of climate change in the community, such as storm flooding and urban heat. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Perhaps you've seen some of the 30 Boston Harbor Islands from an airplane window, descending into Logan Airport. Or maybe you've visited one of the more popular islands on a weekend day trip from downtown Boston. This archipelago is made up of piles of deposited material, sculpted by melting and retreating glaciers, known as drumlins, and is one of the few drowned drumlin fields in the world. It's a unique environment ripe for outdoor recreation, and holds irreplaceable Indigenous creations and post-colonial historical artifacts. The Harbor Islands are also eroding, and fast. In this episode of The Common, we're in a boat with Zoe Hughes and Duncan FitzGerald of Boston University and Marc Albert of the National Parks of Boston for a close-up look at how rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms are impacting the very existence of the Boston Harbor Islands, and all they hold. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Earth Week on The Common. And in honor of our home planet, we're bringing you a special series. Every day this week, we're exploring what climate change looks and feels like in Boston, and how it's impacting our communities, right now. Today's destination: Chinatown. In Boston's Chinatown, you don’t have to look far to see how climate change is already affecting the lives of residents. The neighborhood is one of the city’s worst heat islands, and it has the highest levels of air pollution in the state thanks to nearby Interstates 90 and 93. With Boston Harbor nearby, there’s also the risk of future flooding. But the Chinatown Community Land Trust and Chinese Progressive Association are working on a solution that they hope will put power back in the hands of Chinatown residents when it comes to climate resilience – literally. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Medical professionals volunteering at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 found themselves tending not only to tired runners, but also to victims of the two bombs that exploded that day. For the first time since that tragic event, those first responders are talking openly about their experiences, the strong bonds that were forged there a decade ago, and the healing that's happened since. As we remember the Boston Marathon bombings, WBUR reporter Martha Bebinger joins The Common to share stories from inside the medical tent and beyond. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Nearly a decade has passed since the Boston Marathon bombings. This year, many will pause to reflect on the three lives lost that day and the dozens of others who were physically injured. But the trauma didn't not stop there. As runners prepare to hit the road on Monday, The Common speaks with WBUR senior correspondent Deborah Becker about the psychological damage left in the wake of the attacks, and experts' recommendations for self-care. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts is taking steps to ensure continued access to mifepristone, a common abortion medication following a ruling from a federal judge in Texas, which aims to block access to the drug. The Justice Department has appealed this order. Earlier this week, Gov. Maura Healey announced that the University of Massachusetts Amherst has secured roughly 15,000 doses of the drug, at the request of the governor, to create stockpiles of the drug in state. The governor also issued an executive order confirming that providers are protected under state law to stock and use the drug. WBUR reporter Martha Bebinger joins The Common for more on how Massachusetts is working to guarantee access to mifepristone in future. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Nearly 9 out of 10 teachers in Massachusetts public schools are white, despite students of color making up roughly 44% of the student population. In Lowell, the state's sixth largest school district, the disparity is even more stark. A new program aims to change this, by encouraging students of color to pursue careers in teaching through a partnership between Lowell Public Schools and the University of Massachusetts - Lowell. WBUR education reporter Samuele Petruccelli speaks with The Common about the push to increase diversity among teachers in Lowell and statewide. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

In March, Boston's City Council voted 11-2 in support of a rent control plan proposed by Mayor Michelle Wu. The plan would cap rent increases at 10% for apartments in Boston, with some exceptions. Now that the proposal has been approved by the city, it faces an uphill climb in the Massachusetts legislature as it seeks to become law. WBUR Senior Statehouse Reporter Steve Brown joins The Common to discuss the path forward for Boston's rent control proposal on Beacon Hill. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Spring is officially here, which means it's time to ditch the cabin fever, get out and revel in all the live events going on this month in Boston. WBUR CitySpace Assistant Director Candice Springer joins The Common to share her top local events to enjoy in April. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Black population in Greater Boston continues to grow, especially in communities outside of the city, and it's becoming one of the most diverse Black populations of any metro area in the nation. This is according to a new report from Boston Indicators and Embrace Boston titled, Great Migration to Global Immigration: A Profile of Black Boston, which is out today. Report co-author James Jennings joins The Common for a deeper look at how the region's Black population continues to grow and change. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Crime and justice. Punishment and redemption. When it comes to even the most extreme crimes, how much prison time is enough? Marshall Project reporter Beth Schwartzapfel speaks with The Common about Violation, a new podcast from WBUR and The Marshall Project, which explores the nation's parole system, and the stories of the people entangled in it. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Last Tuesday, the city lost a giant. Activist, former politician and proud son of the South End, Mel King, died at the age of 94. King fought for working class people in the streets and on Beacon Hill, and he was the first Black candidate to make it to the general election in a race to be Boston’s mayor. Local writer and historian Dart Adams joins The Common to remember Mel King, and for a look at his ongoing legacy. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

For the last year or so, the company in charge of cleaning up the shuttered Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth has been slowly moving ahead with its plans to discharge contaminated wastewater from the plant into Cape Cod Bay. But recently, opposition from area residents, activists and politicians has been heating up. WBUR Climate and Environment Correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common to share some updates on the decommissioning process, and the state and public's attempt to find out what's really in that dirty water. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Does the coming of spring put you in the mood to see a play? How about a film? Maybe a dance performance? You want to get out and explore the freshest art blooming in the Boston arts scene, but you're not sure where to start? Look no further than WBUR's Spring Art Guides, covering theatre, film festivals, art exhibitions, classical music, books, dance, and albums. WBUR Arts Editor Lauren Williams joins The Common to discuss some highlights from the art guides, and offers her recommendations for how to make the most of the season. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The wait for a new MBTA general manager is finally over. Governor Maura Healy announced Monday that Phillip Eng will take over the T, bringing with him four decades of transit experience in New York. WBUR Transportation Reporter Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez joins The Common to discuss what's ahead for Eng as he works to restore rider trust in a transit agency that has been ridden with service and safety issues in recent years. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The state is rechecking the eligibility of all 2.3 million Bay Staters who receive insurance through MassHealth, as the federal COVID emergency winds down. Hundreds of thousands are expected to lose eligibility for MassHealth, meaning folks will need to find alternative health insurance coverage. WBUR Senior Health Reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey joins The Common to walk us through this process, which, for many, will start with receiving a certain blue envelope in the mail. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A new study from the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Agency finds stark inequities in access to the Blue Hills Reservation for public transit-reliant residents. According to the study, called Unlocking the Blue Hills: Addressing Equity and Access in the Blue Hills Reservation, a bus ride to the Blue Hills from neighborhoods just a few miles alway can take well over an hour, and include multiple transfers. Sean Rourke, manager of communications & engagement at the Boston MPO, joins The Common to break down the study's findings and proposed solutions. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

In February, some chemical waste in a tractor trailer spontaneously combusted at a Clean Harbors hazardous waste disposal center in Braintree. By the time the fire was put out, three trailers of chemical waste had burned. Today, the impacts of this incident still aren’t fully known. WBUR Senior Climate and Environment reporter, Miriam Wasser joins The Common to walk us through this incident and what it could mean for residents of Braintree and beyond. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Women's History Month. It's also the final days of Dine Out Boston, a two-week event that highlights local restaurants, and encourages people to explore the city’s dining scene. Editor of Eater Boston, Erika Adams join The Common to walk us through five must-try, women-owned restaurants in Boston and Cambridge, some of which are participating in Dine Out Boston, and for a conversation about the importance of supporting women-owned eateries. Erika's Five-to-try: Trade: Downtown Boston, owned by Jody Adams Suya Joint: Roxbury, owned by Cecelia Lizotte Pagu: Cambridge, owned by Tracy Chang Shanti: Dorchester, Roslindale, Cambridge, co-owned by Rokeya Chowdhury Urban Hearth: Cambridge, owned by Erin Miller Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A new report commissioned by members of the Massachusetts Asian American Educators Association finds that Asian American students in Boston Public High Schools are more likely to report feeling an absence of belonging, and a lack of interest from teachers as compared to Black, Latino or white students. Go Sasaki is a co-author of the report “Truth from Youth: The Asian American Experience in BPS High Schools” and a former BPS educator. He joins The Common for a deeper look at the report's findings, and the myths and tropes that impact many Asian American students. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has announced that cities and towns must comply with the new MBTA Communities law, which requires municipalities to zone for multi-family housing near public transit access points. This comes after several municipalities have resisted the changes. Boston Globe Business Correspondent Andrew Brinker joins The Common to break it down. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Stavros Papantoniadis, the owner of the Dorchester pizza joint Stash’s, was arrested last week under disturbing allegations of abuse towards his undocumented workers. He’s also charged with one account of forced labor in federal court. The allegations at Stash’s are extreme. But worker mistreatment is more common than one might think. Pablo Carrasco is an attorney for Justice At Work, a Boston-based advocacy organization that offers support to low-wage workers. He joins The Common to talk about some of the ways workers are often exploited and mistreated, as well as resources for those who feel they may be experiencing abuse. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new guidelines regulating the presence of PFAS in municipal water systems. The proposal would require all U.S. cities to test for, and limit, the levels of six PFAS chemicals in drinking water. WBUR Climate and Environment Correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common for a deeper look at these proposed limitations, and what they mean for your drinking water, and possibly your water bill, here in Massachusetts. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Looking for a fun St. Patrick's Day activity? We've got you covered. Club Passim Marketing Manager and Boston Celtic Music Festival Director Summer McCall joins The Common to give a rundown of the best places to catch live Celtic music in Boston during St. Patrick's Day weekend. Check out Summer's full list of recommendations at WBUR.org Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Earlier this week, local chef and James Beard Leadership Award winner Irene Li posted an Instagram Reel featuring a number of controversial comments made by celebrity chef Ming Tsai during a talk at WBUR CitySpace (moderated by Li). Today, Li joins The Common to move the conversation forward, with a broader discussion about culture and accountability in Boston's restaurant industry. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

We want to share a first listen of a new podcast we're working on at WBUR. Violation tells the story of two families bound together by an unthinkable crime. It explores America's opaque parole system and asks: How much time in prison is enough? Who gets to decide? And, when someone commits a terrible crime, what does redemption look like? Listen to the trailer and if you like what you hear, head over to the Violation feed wherever you get your podcasts and hit subscribe so you'll get new episodes when they drop, beginning March 22. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

New Hampshire lawmakers are currently considering a number of bills that aim to restrict the rights of LGBTQ students and young people, particularly trans kids. GLAD attorney Chris Erchull joins The Common to tell us more about this legislation and what it could mean for LGBTQ youth in New Hampshire and their families. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts lawmakers will soon consider a bill that would make it legal for someone to be committed to outpatient mental health treatment under court order. It's often called assisted outpatient treatment, and Massachusetts is one of only three states that doesn't have a law supporting it on the books. This type of court-ordered program has sparked fierce debate among mental health advocates in the state, with many standing in opposition. WBUR Reporter Deborah Becker joins The Common to discuss this legislation, and the arguments for and against its passage. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston City Council has voted overwhelmingly in favor of Mayor Michelle Wu's rent control proposal, which aims to cap rent increases in the city. While the proposal has cleared the council, rent control is currently banned in Massachusetts, meaning the proposal will require approval from Beacon Hill in order to take effect. WBUR Reporter Yasmin Amer joins The Common to break down the council's vote, and for a look at other early pushes for rent control in the Boston Area. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

If you've been meaning to visit more of Boston's great museums, March may be the perfect month to do so. Whether you're into contemporary dance, searching for some cooking inspiration, or just looking for a chance to learn something new, we've got you covered. Assistant director for WBUR CitySpace, Candice Springer joins The Common to walk us through some of the best special events happening in Boston's museum scene this month. Candice recommends... Global Arts Live presents Gibney Company (The Institute of Contemporary Art, March 17 - March 18) A Reno Family Foundation Symposium: An Evening with Ghetto Gastro (The Museum of Science, March 22) Celebrate Nowruz (MFA Boston, March 23) Curated Cuisine: Celebrating Pi Day with "Pieometry" author Lauren Ko (WBUR City Space, March 14) Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston Logan Airport has been in the headlines several times in recent weeks due to a number of mishaps including an averted plane collision and a fender-bender between grounded aircraft. WBUR Transportation Reporter Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez joins The Common to tell us more about these incidents and related investigations. Editor's Note: A previous iteration of the audio version of this episode misstated the number of runway hotspots at the Austin airport. The episode has been corrected. We regret the error. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Missing the snow? You're not alone. People and wildlife alike are feeling the impact of a warmer, less-snowy winter. WBUR reporter Simón Rios joins The Common to discuss what this season's weather patterns tell us about our changing climate and what winters may look like in Boston going forward. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.