After five years on air, our weekly program NEXT has ended. The show focused on New England at a time of change and featured stories from journalists across the New England News Collaborative. The good news is that these powerful stories aren’t going away. We are ramping up our next phase of New England reporting to bring you more news and conversations from the region. Executive Editor Vanessa de la Torre explains what’s ahead for the New England News Collaborative, and how you can follow our work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the final episode of NEXT, Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola talks about the evolution of her poetry, and how she uses futurism to reimagine history. Plus, protesters reflect on what has changed — or not — in the year since George Floyd’s murder. We also speak with band members of Lake Street Dive about their latest album, “Obviously.” And finally, to mark the end of NEXT, Executive Editor Vanessa de la Torre joins us to explain what’s ahead for the New England News Collaborative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Carroll’s new memoir details her experiences as a Black child raised by adoptive white parents in rural New Hampshire. This week on NEXT, Carroll talks about “Surviving The White Gaze.” Plus, epidemiologist and physician Dr. Sandro Galea on the impact of structural issues on public health — and how we should prepare for the next pandemic. And we learn about the practice of “green” burials, and why they’re becoming more popular.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions of people in the U.S. left the workforce as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A majority of them were women. This week on NEXT, we hear from women who left their jobs and talk with an expert about the stressors  — and what recovery might look like. Plus, high school English teacher Takeru Nagayoshi on what he’s learned in this past year of hybrid teaching. And we remember trans activist and ballroom icon Jahaira DeAlto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alison Bechdel’s new graphic novel depicts her life through fitness. This week on NEXT, we talk with Bechdel about ‘The Secret to Superhuman Strength,' which is more about a state of being than six-pack abs. Plus, advocates make the case for colleges to hire more diverse financial firms to manage billion-dollar endowments. And scholar-activist Katharine Morris reflects on her experience at the intersection of racism, environmental justice and public health, and her framework for moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Professor Laurie Santos first offered a course about psychology and happiness at Yale University, over a thousand students signed up. This week on NEXT, Santos gives us tips  on how we can be happier in our lives. Plus, we’ll hear dream experts discuss the evolution of COVID-19 dreams. And we talk to author, illustrator and TV writer Jonny Sun about his relationship with work and free time — and the things he’s unintentionally inherited from his family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time today’s teenagers are fifty, they’ll be living in a very different New England. This week on NEXT, we hear from young climate activists around our region about how they’re responding to the threat of climate change. And after a year of no travel, why some climate researchers are reconsidering how much they fly. Plus, listeners reflect on their experiences with electric vehicles, and we talk with an expert about the future of EVs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin French’s ascent to rock star chef almost didn’t happen. Before becoming the owner of The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine, she lost nearly everything that mattered in life. This week on NEXT, we talk with French about her journey and new memoir “Finding Freedom.” Plus, as a way to diversify staff and address inequality, more employers are dropping degree requirements for certain jobs — and gaining a market advantage. And we hear from Mardi Fuller, a volunteer leader with Outdoor Afro, about enjoying nature despite the prevalence of the “white colonial imagination.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, Hallel came out as a  “boy-girl” to their parents. This week on NEXT, 9-year-old Hallel and their family explore gender identity. Plus, we learn about a new Connecticut law banning race-based hair discrimination in the workplace and in schools. And we hear from newcomers to New Hampshire about whether they plan to stay in the state after the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a year of online school, high school senior Bridget Donovan is back in the building and feeling like “a freshman again.” This week on NEXT, we tag along with Bridget and visit a New Hampshire school that’s experiencing the social benefits of learning outdoors. Plus, we hear about Massachusetts’ new climate legislation and how it compares to other New England states. And author Jennifer De Leon reflects on language and heritage in her new book of essays.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, in the aftermath of the killings of six Asian women in Atlanta, we hear about the inextricable link between racism and sexism. Plus, we talk with Boston chef and restaurateur Irene Li about how the pandemic has altered our relationship with food and cooking. And the entanglement of a North Atlantic right whale named Snow Cone has caused an outcry from fishermen, who say they’re being unfairly blamed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Through fresh eyes, there’s a lot that’s unusual about American life and culture — from bloated wallets and giant cars to the emphasis on self. This week on NEXT, writer Roya Hakakian shares keen observations from her new book “A Beginner’s Guide To America.” Plus, how retrofitting triple-decker houses can help fight climate change. And singer-songwriter Niu Raza blends musical traditions to find her signature sound and a new sense of home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA plans to land the first woman on the moon by 2024. This week on NEXT, we talk to a Maine astronaut who is part of the Artemis mission about why that milestone matters, and what it’s like to be in zero gravity. Plus, we’ll hear from two sisters who are participating in one of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials for children. And we visit one coastal community on the Cape that is considering a retreat strategy as sea level rises.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Biden administration and state leaders are pushing to get more students into “in-person” classes again. This week on NEXT, the politics of making it happen. Plus, as the Massachusetts Audubon Society reckons with its founder’s racist past, the group’s push to create equitable access to nature. And we talk with Crystal Maldonado about her debut young adult novel “Fat Chance, Charlie Vega,” the importance of representation — and seeing herself on the page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report shows that millions of homes across the country are at risk of flooding — and insurance companies aren’t keeping up. This week on NEXT, we explore the inequities and how this affects our region. Plus, we hear more about a proposal for high-speed rail across New England that Congress may consider soon. And we visit a Vermont town that’s mourning the loss of its historic covered bridge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we hear about the enduring impacts of The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island that killed 100 people in 2003. Plus, the mysterious history of Lost Nation Road in Vermont. And we visit an experimental forest in our region to gain new insight on New England research of the natural world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we’ll hear the latest on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout across our region — including concerns over inequities in distribution — and get expert answers to some of our questions about life after vaccination. Plus, what’s next for a proposed wood-burning biomass plant in Springfield, Mass., a city beset with high asthma rates. And we’ll learn what it’s like to work as a ski patroller during the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, why one New England state is vaccinating young researchers before older adults. Plus, a look at ropeless fishing and the hope to save the endangered North Atlantic right whale. We’ll also hear from Connecticut’s Supreme Court chief justice about racial inequities in jury selection — and what his state is doing about it. And how the pandemic led one New Englander to create an unusual fictional crime thriller.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, what student loan forgiveness under the Biden administration would mean for borrowers in Maine. Plus, an interview with Shalanda Baker, a new deputy director at the U.S. Department of Energy, on the role of energy justice in the transition to clean energy. And we hear from an insider about what happens at behavioral treatment programs for “troubled teens.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Severe storms. Heat waves. Rising seas. New England is already seeing the impacts of climate change, and scientists project they will become more deadly, shaping how we live and work in the northeastern U.S. This week on NEXT, in a special ahead of Inauguration Day, the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified look at climate change in our region and how President-elect Joe Biden’s administration could affect climate action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public school enrollment in New England is down during the pandemic. But even when kids are enrolled, it can be a struggle to get some to show up. This week on NEXT, how one district is tackling absenteeism and why doctors are increasingly concerned about youth mental health. Plus, Massachusetts school districts try to cope with a teacher shortage. And when a Vermonter’s business plummeted after COVID hit, she donned an inflatable T-Rex costume and started dancing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The brothers behind New England’s famous R&B group Tavares are of Cape Verdean descent. This week on NEXT, what that means in a Black and white America. And an effort to change the name of Faneuil Hall in Boston continues as New Englanders grapple with the region’s racist past. Plus, how author Jennifer De Leon’s childhood experience informed her debut novel about school desegregation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, North Atlantic right whales are under threat of extinction. Scientists say entanglement in fishing lines is the main cause of death, but changing the way New England lobstermen fish won’t be easy. Plus, we hear from young climate activists pushing Massachusetts lawmakers to pass a bill requiring climate change education in K-12 classrooms. And the banner and burden of the phrase #BlackGirlMagic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a group of immigrants started a community farm in a Yankee farming town, their presence was complicated by race and rural American identity. This week on NEXT, the story of Bami Farm in Rhode Island. Plus, how the pandemic has accelerated the debate over driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts. And journalist Maria Hinojosa talks about what’s at stake if public media fails to become more diverse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What we don’t learn in school can matter as much as the lessons we do learn. This week on NEXT, we talk to teachers and students about the harm of omitting stories and cultures from curricula — and how we can do better. It's a rebroadcast from our series of specials on “Racism in New England,” produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s the story that New England tells itself: Racism is a Southern problem. But our region’s abolitionist past hides a darker history of racism, slavery and white supremacy. It’s a legacy that lives with us today. This week on NEXT, we rebroadcast a special from our series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. This episode originally aired Sept. 17.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transgender and nonbinary people can face misgendering at the polls. This week on NEXT, how that can make voting especially stressful this election. And with Nov. 3 just around the corner, we hear from the Associated Press about its process for calling the presidential race … and about 7,000 others around the country. Plus, we talk to Boston hip-hop artist Latrell James about his life and what inspired the lyrics for his new EP “Under.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What we don’t learn in school can matter as much as the lessons we do learn. This week on NEXT, we talk to teachers and students about the harm of omitting stories and cultures from curricula — and how we can do better. It’s the final show in a special series on racism in New England, produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racism is trauma. But for many of us, racism’s impact on mental health can be hard to talk about. This week on NEXT, we hear about the stressors of racism in New England and ways to get relief. It’s the third show in a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite progress in civil rights, segregated communities still exist throughout New England. This week on NEXT, we look at how housing laws and discrimination influence where we live. It’s the second show in a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's the story that New England tells itself: Racism is a Southern problem. But our region's abolitionist past hides a darker history of racism, slavery and segregation. It's a legacy that lives with us today. This week on NEXT, we premiere a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Canadian court has determined the U.S. is no longer safe for refugees. This week on NEXT, we go to the border of Vermont and Canada to learn what this could mean for asylum seekers heading north. Plus, when a COVID-19 vaccine is approved, who will want one and who will get priority? And New Hampshire residents who commuted to Massachusetts before the pandemic are not keen on the state’s persisting income taxes as they work from home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most New England schools are still fine-tuning their reopening plans. This week on NEXT, we visit a school in northern Maine that has started the year early — and hear about the lessons learned so far. Plus, two sisters re-examine the racism they experienced growing up in a predominantly white Massachusetts town. And we hear from early survivors of COVID-19 about their long recovery process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the rise of protests against police brutality, we look at what has changed, from police reforms to employee walk-outs. Also on this week’s show, we talk to an activist who says today’s call-out culture is toxic — and advocates "calling in." Plus, refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo find community in an Orthodox Armenian church in Rhode Island.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we hear from teachers who are agonizing over going back to school and putting their families and themselves at risk — or quitting their jobs. Plus, a doctor who has experienced racism vows to stop being silent when she witnesses injustice. And we remember a Black transgender woman whose brutal murder in Boston helped spark a global movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, in a special episode of NEXT, we listen to a collection of award-winning stories from the New England News Collaborative — from the divorced couple that was the face of marriage equality in Massachusetts, to a close look at a First Amendment dispute in New Hampshire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, New Englanders debate the removal of controversial statues. Plus, Connecticut is refusing to reveal the cost of some taxpayer-funded coronavirus tests. And we look at how the pandemic and climate change are complicating efforts in New Hampshire to stay cool during this hot summer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic forced many of us into new habits. Why can’t we do that with climate change? This week on NEXT, why seismic lifestyle shifts to help the environment could be possible right now. Plus, how the business community is addressing systemic racism. And the tension over thru-hikers who resisted calls to quit the Appalachian Trail during the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eviction cases are expected to soar this summer. This week on NEXT, the debate over extending an eviction moratorium. Plus, a recent night of vandalism in Providence, Rhode Island, was blamed on “outside agitators” — the story is much more complicated. And 16 ideas for investing in a green pandemic recovery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, how to stay safe during a pandemic as reopening continues in New England. Plus, Maine has the worst racial disparity for coronavirus infections in the country — we’ll talk about why. And a tattoo artist that covers up racist tattoos for free gets an uptick in requests.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we talk about the different ways racism has become a public health crisis. Plus, the story of recent efforts to resurface the history of Vermont's 19th century Black communities after some residents tried to cover it up. And unexpected lessons from scientific inventions that have transformed our lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racial segregation is a modern-day problem. This week on NEXT, we hear from an expert on how zoning rules continue to perpetuate segregation in New England. And an investigation into the loosely-regulated industry that’s selling medical masks during the COVID-19 crisis. Plus, how can we cut carbon emissions during and after a pandemic?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As protests continue over racism and police violence, some professional athletes in New England are not staying on the sidelines. This week on NEXT, how protests could impact changes in pro sports. And when courts put eviction hearings on hold amid the pandemic, some landlords in Rhode Island resorted to shutting off utilities to try to push out tenants. Plus, connecting the history of "female husbands" to our modern understanding of gender and sexuality.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, as protests continue over police brutality and the death of George Floyd, we hear from an educator on how to dismantle racism in public schools. And a Rhode Island community that is threatened by sea level rise is taking action to save their town. Plus, a project that gets hair clippers to transgender people brings needed comfort during the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as restrictions loosen in New England, uncertainties remain over how to avoid spreading COVID-19. This week on NEXT, medical experts answer listener questions about staying safe in this newest reality. And immigrant workers on Vermont’s dairy farms are considered essential, but they’re not getting coronavirus aid from the government. Plus, a birder coaxes Purple Martins back to Cape Cod.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: A slow reopening is now underway in every New England state. But the uncertainty over COVID-19 is prompting some businesses on Cape Cod to scale back or not reopen at all. Plus, colleges in New England are facing lawsuits from students who allege they didn't get the education they paid for this spring. And we hear about a laughing club that is trying to bring levity to current circumstances.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As parts of New England reopen, states are working to protect themselves from visitors. This week on NEXT, New Hampshire is wary of beachgoers from Massachusetts. And despite hiccups distributing stimulus money to small businesses, some bankers are working overtime to secure funds. Plus, Maine summer camps wonder if they can open this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, New England states are still competing for COVID-19 testing supplies. But researchers at Yale University are studying new saliva tests that show promise. And with so many coronavirus deaths in senior living facilities, some families are considering taking their loved ones out. Plus, we hear from a country singer in Rhode Island about this catchy lyric: “Six feet apart or six feet under."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a hands-on subject like science, remote learning is particularly tricky. This week on NEXT, how science teachers and students are adapting and experimenting from home. And we go inside Vermont prisons to see the response to COVID-19. Plus, celebrating Ramadan in isolation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public health experts say it will take widespread testing to reopen the economy. This week on NEXT, we look at where testing capacity lags in New England. And we hear from a Dartmouth scientist on how the Trump administration's overhaul of mercury emissions rules could impact human and animal health. Plus, as the number of Yiddish speakers dwindle, one woman fights to save the language.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health care workers are facing moral dilemmas and complicated questions during the pandemic. This week on NEXT, we hear from hospital workers in New Hampshire who feel torn between serving their families and the public. And COVID-19 is not the great equalizer: we’ll talk about the inequities driving racial disparities in infection rates and deaths in Connecticut. Plus, how the sudden quiet outside is affecting birds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: Loss of smell has emerged as a possible symptom of COVID-19. We delve into cases in Rhode Island and how the state is screening patients. Plus, a look at how the iconic New England fishing industry is navigating the pandemic. And we take a ride with a Boston limo driver who says this isn’t the first pandemic to touch his life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England states are asking visitors to self-isolate for 14 days to slow the spread of coronavirus. This week on NEXT, we look at Rhode Island’s approach to out-of-staters as COVID-19 cases rise. And we head to Maine, where a toilet paper company is trying to meet demand for rolls of “white gold.” Plus, the unintended consequences of school choice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, a wife visited her husband nearly every day at the nursing home. This week on NEXT, how visitor limitations are separating the couple for the first time in 70 years of marriage. Plus, how homeless shelters are coping with the pandemic. And we talk with singer-songwriter Heather Maloney about music, meditation and how she found her voice during a silent retreat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, elementary school teachers scramble to put together remote learning for students as schools close amid the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, the backlash in a New England town that reinstated a school mascot critics say is racist. And the resilient journey of an ESPN editor whose headline went viral for the wrong reasons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the coronavirus spreads, we look at how New Englanders are preparing. And after the only black woman in Vermont’s House of Representatives was targeted by a white nationalist, state officials and community members debated racial harassment versus free speech. Plus, “The Portuguese Kids” tap their culture experiences for comic material.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary's life changed drastically when she became the foster parent for four grandnieces and nephews. This week on NEXT, we explore the ways foster care is succeeding and struggling in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. And for families looking to adopt, we hear about the most affordable option — and other routes that could break the bank. Plus, bestselling author Lily King weaves parts of her life into her new novel, Writers & Lovers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Activists in Maine and Connecticut are fighting against mandatory vaccine rules for students in public schools. This week on NEXT, we look at the fate of religious exemptions for vaccines. And the only requirement for sex education in New Hampshire is that teens learn about HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Some teens are having conversations around inclusivity, consent and abstinence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

White parents say they want their kids to go to integrated schools. But when they’re given the power to choose, schools tend to be more segregated. This week on NEXT, we’ll dig into a recent report on school choice. And we hear from a mother who says her son was on the losing side of school integration. Plus, a soldier exposed to secret nuclear weapons tests during the Cold War returns to college at 83.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economic impact of COVID-19 or the coronavirus outbreak in China is trickling down to Boston’s Chinatown. This week on NEXT, how unusually quiet restaurants indicate ignorance and possibly racism. And a Harvard study outlines the long-term health risks for gunshot survivors. Plus, we’ll recap the New Hampshire primary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After delays in the Iowa caucus results, we turn our attention to the New Hampshire primary on February 11. This week on NEXT, what to expect from the Granite State in the 2020 presidential election. And a political scientist shares how identity politics has impacted the race so far. Plus, a look at how candidates are addressing climate change —a top issue for New Hampshire voters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut has become the last New England state to include a non-binary option on its driver's licenses. This week on NEXT, we talk to the person who helped push for change in Maine — the first state in the region to include the non-binary designation. And ahead of the New Hampshire primary, we hear where Democratic presidential candidates stand on drug policies. Plus, what happened to the ESPN editor whose headline about Jeremy Lin was interpreted as a racial slur.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. population is getting older. And in northern New England, it’s even more pronounced: Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are the oldest states in the nation, on average. This week on NEXT, stories of housing for seniors, including an investigation into inadequate care facilities and a window into alternative housing situations that work. Plus, we hear from three women named Dot who grew up together in the same town, turned 100 last year and remain friends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A New England town has decided to reinstate a school mascot critics say is racist. This week on NEXT, the school board in Killingly, Conn., ditched the old “Redmen” mascot — then brought it back in what may be the first reversal of its kind. We also look at the impact of college football on the rise of two Massachusetts colleges. Plus, we talk to a mother about raising an adult son with severe autism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2020 is a big year in politics, and New England senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are among the Democratic front-runners challenging President Trump. This week on NEXT, we look at where things stand in the presidential race and impeachment. And we hear how coal continues to play a role in New England’s electrical grid. Plus, how paid leave proposals and nursing shortages highlight cross-border economies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, some scientists believe the Northern Star coral in New England’s cold oceans could hold valuable secrets for fighting climate change. And we look at what it would take to create an effective public transit system and cut back personal car use in Vermont. Plus, how a drummer influenced a generation of female rockers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we talk with singer-songwriter Heather Maloney about quitting her music degree for meditation, then becoming a songwriter during silent retreat. And the carrier pigeons of old still find a way to race across the sky. Plus, essayist Tim Clark remembers the neighbors who helped when his wife fell down the church stairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, a doctor in Rhode Island discovered EMS crews misplacing breathing tubes a potentially fatal mistake. This week on NEXT, an investigation from The Public’s Radio and ProPublica into the state’s 911 emergency system. And a black activist talks about the pitfalls of the call-out culture. Plus, as fewer babies are born in the U.S, some adults are choosing to be childfree.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voters across the region –and political spectrum– can agree on one thing: they care about immigration. This week on NEXT, a new poll of New Hampshire voters finds the immigration policies they care about largely don’t affect them. And we hear from a historian who says U.S. cities owe their revitalization to Latino immigrants. Plus, how achieving the triple decker, immigrant dream in New England is fading.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we talk about greenhouse gas emissions and the two sectors that are emitting the most: energy and transportation. Scientists and policy-makers agree these sectors need to transform in order to slow the pace of global warming; we look at how they’re doing. Plus, 400 years after the first slaves were brought to the United States, a jazz composer maps the history of African-Americans music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PFAS chemicals have contaminated sites around New England, but when a World War II-era bomber crashed at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut last month, firefighters did not hesitate to use foam containing the chemicals. This week on NEXT, we’ll talk about the ethical balance between saving lives in the moment and long-term health risks. And we look misconceptions surrounding Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims. Plus, the case for cohousing communities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, a teenager and an officer’s “Collision Course” leads to a fatal shooting. Plus, we look at racial profiling and policing in New England. And it’s been about a year since the first legal sale of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, but cannabis sales on the black market haven’t stopped.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, a woman turns in her nephew to police after he asks to use her address to order high-capacity magazines for an AR-15-style rifle. And a new survey shows how wrong Americans are about the leading cause of gun deaths. Plus, some Maine high schools adjust to eight-person football as school populations shrink.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A year ahead of the 2020 election, NEXT looks at what motivates people to vote –whether they participate or not. Plus, we’ll talk about why New England voters aren’t that unique anymore and break down the costs of Medicare for All for four families.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we talk about the life and death of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and how his brain is helping scientists discover the long-term effects of head injuries. And fishing industry regulations can make it difficult for small-scale fishermen to make a living. Plus, a new book explores how objects in an abandoned mill building could tell the story of a town.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts took a major hit in the ‘80s when General Electric downsized, taking thousands of jobs with it. This week on NEXT, we look at revitalization efforts there. And the story of an urban planner who helped shape some New England cities. Plus, all the ways biochar can ease climate change and pollution, and the pros and cons of wood heat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, a teenager and officer’s “Collision Course” leads to a fatal shooting. We look at racial profiling and policing in New England. And patients forced into psychiatric treatment are suing New Hampshire for allegedly being held too long against their will. Plus, “The Portuguese Kids” tap their ethnicity for comedy material.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, a woman turns in her nephew to police after he asks to use her address to order high-capacity magazines for his AR-15-style rifle. And a new survey shows how wrong Americans are about the leading cause of gun deaths. Plus, a new rule could bring more development to the largest forested area east of the Mississippi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, the Trump administration took away deportation deferrals for seriously ill immigrants and then gave them back. Plus, after three years of adjustment, a Syrian family is feeling settled in Vermont. And a new podcast from New Hampshire looks at how the state clinched the first-in-the-nation primary and held fast. Finally, we hear from residents of one of the easternmost U.S. towns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, two mayors face corruption charges and not all voters seem to care. We’ll hear why a vaccine for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is not widely available. Plus, as the Gulf of Maine warms and cold-water species travel north, fishermen who adapt will thrive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we search for New England’s most endangered species and talk to young climate activists about what motivates them. Plus, the fight to stop non-organic milk from making it into products labeled organic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man known as Dr. Seuss grew up in New England...drawing inspiration from the local zoo and his German roots. This week on NEXT, from the New England News Collaborative, tall tales from Springfield’s famous son. And how another famous family, the Sununus, shaped the climate debate. In this episode, we're tracing the history of the GOP and climate. We’ll also look at what kids are—and aren’t—eating for lunch at school in Boston.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dialogue project brings together people from Massachusetts, South Carolina and Kentucky to talk about race and racism. In this episode of NEXT, we’ll learn how the conversation is going between these very different parts of our country. We’ll visit a school that is working to help kids deal with hardship, and we’ll also go looking for the oldest trees.  Plus Norman Rockwell’s doubts...and the man who helped him through them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hemp is big business - farmers are growing it…stores are selling its extract, CBD, and some people are even smoking it. But big expectations for the crop are being tempered by regulatory concerns. We’ll consider the region’s market for hemp, as well as our love-hate relationship with deer. Plus, we’ll go inside the body to understand the little bacteria that causes the big problem called Lyme Disease. And, we’ll soak in those last few days of summer on the boardwalk...with the King of Old Orchard Beach.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: They’re cute. Kids love ‘em, sharks really love ‘em...so, what’s the real deal with seals? We’ll wade into the controversy over seals on Cape Cod. And, as the massive Vineyard Wind project faces new delays, we’ll look at how countries with 20 years of offshore wind experience made it happen. Plus, the gypsy moth population is down in our region - which is good news for the trees. But the damage is lasting - and now the focus is making hiking trails safe It's NEXT!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT:  How a dam removal in Maine changed the way rivers are restored. Plus, we’ll visit a unique library at Harvard University, and learn about the fascinating history of an interstate school district in our region. Finally, we’ll visit two unusual holy sites. It’s NEXT. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: When you get released from prison on parole, it’s a chance to start fresh - turn to a new chapter. But when all you get is bus fare - and there’s no support system, no job, and you’re far from anywhere...what do you do? We’ll explore what life’s like on parole. We’ll also look at what’s causing small-town politics to boil over in one town.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: Gun violence throughout our region, including police shootings. How wind farms will impact fishing in the U.S. And how to reuse old factory buildings that contain cultural importance in New England. It’s NEXT!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration officials have traditionally honored state pardons when considering who they can deport, but that’s stopped in one state. We’ll look at legal challenges to the detention of immigrants. And, we’ll meet a family coping with a year spent apart. We’ll also go looking for the oldest trees. Plus Norman Rockwell’s doubts, and the man who helped him through them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: As sea levels rise, an architecture class imagines a new future for Provincetown, Massachusetts. We'll also hear from a family that is taking the climate into account with each decision. Plus, we'll talk with a commercial fisherman turned restorative ocean farmer. And we'll listen to a group that's bringing new life to historic sea chanties. Finally, the loggers of the northern forest who are working the old fashioned way. It's NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT:  How a dam removal in Maine changed the way rivers are restored. Plus, we’ll visit a unique library at Harvard University, and learn about the fascinating history of an interstate school district in our region. Finally, we’ll visit two unusual holy sites. It’s NEXT. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: Why Vermont's farmworkers are facing food insecurity. Plus, how our bicycle infrastructure was created, and a new trend in bike racing in Vermont. We'll also learn about a skateboarding competition in Western Massachusetts. Finally, we'll hear a personal story of addiction and recovery. It's NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We discuss the future of natural gas in our region. And, how Springfield-born Theodor Geisel became Dr. Seuss. We’ll also hear from young environmental activists. Plus, we’ll take a tour down the Quinnipiac River. And, if the walls could talk, what would they say? A new book explores how objects in an abandoned mill building could tell the story of a town. Finally, we’ll meet a troubadour who’s touring our region. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We'll travel with a van that's providing addiction services on the streets of Boston. Plus, how EMTs are helping collect overdose data in Connecticut. We'll also discuss the choices that parents of deaf children face about how to teach their children to communicate. And, we'll learn about how the health of bees affects our food supply. We'll also go fishing on the Connecticut River. Finally, we'll hear from former workers at prominent music venues in Western Massachusetts who say there was a pattern of labor law violations. It's NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We’ll hear about how housing policies have created segregated towns across New England. Plus, we’ll talk to a commercial fisherman turned ocean farmer about the future of the fishing industry. And a group in Maine is bringing new life to historic sea chanties. Finally, we’ll learn about the loggers in the Northern forests of Vermont who are still logging by hand. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We’ll hear about how PFAS chemicals got into the milk supply at one Maine farm. Plus, a look at waste laws around New England. We’ll also learn about how efforts to save one local butterfly ended up helping another. And, a 24-hour birding competition in Massachusetts. Finally, we’ll talk to citizen scientists in Vermont. It’s NEXT.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We’ll take a look at police body cameras around the region. Plus, a border stop far from the border. As Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, MA goes to close, we discuss the decommissioning process. Plus, we reflect on the history of the plant. And, how the Mohawk Trail got its name, and who has been left out. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We look at Rhode Island’s 911 system, and Emergency Medical Services in Vermont. We’ll learn about a lobster war on the U.S.-Canada border. And, we’ll discuss a rural pop star’s New England roots. We’ll also visit the New England Accordion Museum. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: How the Sackler family has impacted Massachusetts politics, and why their role in a ski resort is causing controversy in a small town in Vermont. And a new program helps Vermont seniors outside of nursing homes.  Plus, an architecture course imagines a future for Provincetown, Massachusetts as rising sea levels threaten the town. We'll also discuss why breweries have become a destination for candidates campaigning in New Hampshire. And we'll go to a gravel bike race in Vermont. Finally, we'll remember a poet who lived in New Hampshire. It's NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: The city of Providence, Rhode Island is thinking about selling its water to make up for its large pension liability, but is it the city's to sell? Plus, new lobster traps could help protect endangered North Atlantic Right Whales from entanglements. And, as the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is set to close later this month, we look at the environmental and economic effects the plant has had on its hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Finally, we'll hear from an entrepreneur who's working to change Boston's school lunches, and we'll visit a farm on Connecticut's coast. It's NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We're tackling housing in New England, from gentrification in the region's urban areas, to housing crunches in the rural ones. Plus, we'll talk about homelessness in Maine, and why a disproportionate number of the LGBTQ community experience homelessness. It's NEXT.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We’ll explore broadband access around New England. Plus, what role should invasive species play in combating climate change? And, we’ll travel to Maine and Martha’s Vineyard for discussions about race and racism.  It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We speak with Teresa Mares about her new book, which explores food insecurity among farm workers in Vermont. Plus, we take a look at school funding around our region. We’ll talk with NHPR’s Sarah Gibson about her new series, ‘Adequate,’ and listen to reporting from Connecticut Public Radio’s David DesRoches about private philanthropy in public schools. Finally, we'll discuss protests on Harvard University’s campus fifty years later, and speak with activists about how student organizing has changed since then. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: What CMP’s Transmission Line would mean for Maine’s forests.  Plus, Vermont’s declining refugee population. And, Rhode Island’s shrinking quahog industry. We’ll also learn about a dialogue project between individuals in Massachusetts, Kentucky and South Carolina. And, we’ll meet Fenway’s Mr. Fix-It, learn about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, and visit New Hampshire’s last Roller Rink. It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: How “equity measures” built into Massachusetts’ law to legalizing marijuana are working on the ground. Plus, the push to legalize sports betting around the region. And, we visit a community solar project in Connecticut. We’ll also learn about how the example of a politically influential family in New Hampshire can illustrate how the Republican Party’s attitudes towards climate change have evolved over time. Finally, we meet some of the millennials of color who are shaping Boston’s arts scene, and we’ll hear about a book of poetry inspired by the Pioneer Valley.  It’s NEXT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We look at Rhode Island’s 911 services. Plus, as rural towns in Vermont have trouble getting enough volunteers to staff EMS, how emergency care in the state is being affected. We also discuss the trial of Lizzie Borden. And, how a pop star who recently performed at South by Southwest got her start in New Hampshire. Finally, we visit the New England Accordion Connection and Museum.  It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: a year after a school shooting that didn’t happen in Vermont, we hear about what changes to school security are being made in the state. Plus, we learn about firearm exports out of New Hampshire. And, why children seeking psychiatric care in Vermont’s emergency rooms are forced to wait. Also six months after a casino opened in Springfield, Massachusetts, what gambling addiction services are available? Finally, a new bill would alert residents of Massachusetts if sewage is in the waterways. And we visit the abandoned towns underneath Boston’s drinking supply. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: A side-by-side comparison of Northern Pass and New England Clean Energy Connect, and what’s next for the transmission line that will bring hydropower from Canada to Massachusetts. Plus, we hear from a Vermont woman about her opioid addiction, and how she is moving towards recovery.    And we visit two old buildings that are making communities re-think what role history should play in their future. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We travel around New England to learn about who has trouble getting reliable internet access, and why that matters. Plus, we discuss a new documentary about the fight for lobster along the U.S.-Canada border. Finally, we’ll introduce you to the Snow Rangers of Mount Washington, and take you down a giant luge in New Hampshire. And we’ll listen in on Maine’s great chickadee debate. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We’ll talk about how regional issues are playing out in state capitals, including discussions of tolls, clean-ups of the region’s waterways, and cross-state transmission lines. Plus, we look at the future of nuclear energy around our region. Finally, we’ll go to Maine and Martha’s Vineyard for a discussion of race. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We discuss the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in communities, including partnerships between New England Sheriffs and the agency. Plus, we explore the challenges incarcerated women, and their families, are facing in Western Massachusetts. And, why Southeast Asian refugees are especially susceptible to gambling addiction. In addition, how changes to immigration policies under President Trump are impacting Vietnamese immigrants.  Finally, we learn how to cook with a diversity of seafood and discuss why eating different types of species can help sustain our fisheries. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling guest hosts.  It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: A year before the 2020 New Hampshire Primary, we take a look at what we can expect, and how the state’s impact on the election is changing. Plus, we learn about the importance of wetlands and visit one in Vermont. And as more rivers in New England move towards that rare “Wild and Scenic” distinction, we visit a river that has received the honor. Finally, we’ll hear a story about how education provided a man freedom in prison. Then we’ll visit a smoothie chain run by an exoneree. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We explore the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ case against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. Plus, we discuss the process of getting lobster licenses in Maine and learn why some have been on the waitlist for more than ten years. Finally, we take a look back at the cultures and ideas that shaped road and mountain biking infrastructure in New England. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we discuss the effect of sea level rise on home values around New England. And, we look at water quality issues in Vermont and New Hampshire. Plus, we revisit the history of the Patriots in our region. And we visit frozen lakes in Massachusetts and Vermont, where New Englanders are enjoying the cold. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we learn about a lawsuit levied against Dartmouth College. And, as Hampshire College seeks a “strategic partner,” and as Green Mountain College closes, we discuss the future of small colleges around our region. Plus, what are the pros and cons of heating with wood? We’ll hear about the health, economic and environmental impacts of the practice. Finally, we visit Harvard University where the future of a tree is up for debate, and we go with a biologist to learn more about where bobcats live, and what they’re doing. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take a look at minimum wages around our region. Plus, why renewable energy credits are dropping in value in Vermont. Also, we’ll look at how states around New England could make the switch to 100% renewable energy. We go to the region’s largest horse rescue that is saving the lives of both horses and humans, and we visit a crane sitting high above Boston. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We discuss how the government shutdown is affecting individuals in New England, including through a growing backlog of cases at Boston’s immigration court. Plus, we learn about how states around our region use subsidies to lure businesses. On the hundredth anniversary of the “Great Boston Molasses Flood,” we hear about how the event shaped the relationship between business and government. Finally, we explore the best New England food of the past year from Yankee Magazine’s Senior Food Editor, Amy Traverso. It’s NEXT! (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we discuss the role that New England politicians will play in the 2020 presidential election. Plus, we look back at an important year in Maine politics. Finally, we discuss some of the stories that made us smile in 2018. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we go inside a delivery room to hear a new project in action. Plus, we learn about a research team that’s working to build a better lifejacket. And, we discuss the shipping industry and the history of pirates in our region. Finally, a New England town celebrates it’s rich literary history. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: we hear from a family in Rhode Island struggling to pay the bills to keep the power on. We also discuss an offshore wind auction that broke records. And, we’ll travel to Tijuana, where migrants who are waiting to apply for asylum are getting legal advice from students and teachers from Boston. Plus, we visit a “trauma-informed” school in western Massachusetts. Finally, we find an unusual way to harvest Christmas trees. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we learn how an argument in an East Boston high school set off a series of events that led to a young man’s deportation. Plus, Iranian students living in the United States who were separated from their families due to the travel ban find a place to reunite along the U.S.-Canada border. We also speak with Vermont Congressman Peter Welch about legislation he has co-sponsored that would reduce the U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoint zones from 100 miles down to 25. And, we learn more about the electricity market that keeps the power on throughout New England. Finally, we listen to a Middle Eastern music group in Western Massachusetts and preview a play that takes the audience into barbershops around the world. It’s NEXT.  (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we explore the high drug overdose death rates in our region and why methamphetamine is a rising threat. Plus, we learn about why the Northeast is warming faster than other areas of the United States, and how trees and individuals could help reduce our carbon footprint. We also look at a close race for Secretary of State in New Hampshire. Finally, we discuss President George H.W. Bush’s ties to New England.  It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we discuss the opening of recreational marijuana shops in Massachusetts, and the start of legalized sports betting in Rhode Island. Plus, we take a look at electricity prices around New England and reflect on our aging gas infrastructure. And, how an invasive species might play a role in curbing the effects of climate change. Finally, we explore what we can learn from the call of a bat, and consider the history of ‘Sheep Fever’ in New England. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we learn about the cultural significance of the ash tree for the Penobscot Nation in Maine, and how an invasive beetle is threatening ash trees around our region. Plus, a poetry playlist at a local museum aims to help visitors understand what it means to be indigenous today. We also listen back to conversations about some of our favorite regional podcasts. And, we visit people with unusual jobs around our region, including bridge tenders in Connecticut, CBD entrepreneurs in Vermont, and two men who are turning kombucha run-off into specialty vodka. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we discuss the experience of immigrating to our region. First, we speak with a man who fled violence in his home country of Nicaragua. Then we explore the growing backlog at the immigration court in Boston. We also learn about the life and death of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, and how his brain is helping scientists discover the long-term effects of head injuries. Plus, we learn about the measures that regulate the fishing industry, and how this makes it difficult for small-scale fishermen to make a living. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we discuss election results from around the region. Plus, we explore incarceration rates of African-Americans in Vermont. Finally, we learn about the history of pirates in colonial New England. And we hear the story behind an unusual Craigslist ad. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we listen to stories from our archive that explore new conservation efforts taking place around New England, including the effort to reduce the amount of energy needed to grow marijuana, and a forest that serves as a home for wildlife and helps store carbon to meet energy goals set thousands of miles away. Plus, we hear from two young men about what it is like growing up black in a mostly white town. We also discuss how a soccer team united a divided town. Finally, we learn about heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano’s New England roots and visit a baseball museum tucked into a mall in the Berkshires. It’s NEXT. *A warning to our audience: this episode includes a racial slur.  (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the election approaches, we explore what questions will be on ballots around the region. We hear from young candidates who are trying to make it into New Hampshire’s aging State House. Plus, we discuss a new documentary that tells the story of the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission, created to investigate the state’s history of separating Wabanaki children from their families. As the weather cools, we also go outside to hear about rising moose mortality rates, tips for safe hiking, and how mushrooms could help mitigate the effects of climate change. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we learn about two organizations that are working thousands of miles apart to keep young people out of gangs. Plus, a youth leadership academy in Hartford, Connecticut, is focusing efforts on reducing gun violence. Did you hear the election is coming up? We explore how gubernatorial candidates from around the region are discussing energy and the environment. Then we head north to Canada to hear from dairy farmers about their reaction to the new trade pact. Finally, we take to the seas: fishermen explain why they need better life jackets, and we learn about two growing industries along Maine’s coast. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we hear from a Connecticut family that is coping with psychological distress following their mother’s deportation. And, we visit a museum that has created a poetry playlist to help visitors understand what it means to be indigenous today. Plus, we discuss what New England can learn from Kansas about wind energy. We also preview the live, three-part PBS/BBC special, Autumnwatch New England, that highlights the changing season in our region. Finally, have you noticed how many squirrels there are this year? We go on an unusual home visit and listen in as an expert removes the rodents from homes. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As General Electric replaces its CEO, we discuss what the move means for the company. And, we explore businesses from around New England, including the next wave for the fishing industry. We also travel to a hospital where we learn about a program that is working to reduce the rate of C-Sections. Plus, we look at how Medicaid expansion contributes to changing the rate of uninsured populations in rural areas and small towns. And, a new podcast explores a murder in New Hampshire that has changed the way that cases are investigated. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After explosions in the Merrimack Valley, residents, and local businesses deal with life without gas. We check-in on recovery efforts and reflect on how New England’s aging infrastructure effects gas lines throughout the region. Plus, we remember the Hurricane of 1938. And we travel along the Northern Border to learn about life in the country’s “Northland.” Finally, a new podcast explores the largest unsolved art heist in history: the theft of thirteen pieces of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. We learn more about the pieces that were stolen and about what happened that night. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we listen back to stories from our archive that explore energy and the environment. First, we travel along the region’s largest river and hear how a re-licensing process offers a rare opportunity for re-imagining its future. We dive into the plans for a microgrid on a small island off of Maine that could serve as a model for future electricity grids around the country. Plus, we speak with author Elizabeth Rush about preserving language as our climate changes. We also visit an island off of Massachusetts that is facing the reality of rising seas. Finally, we explore the impact of beavers on our region’s landscape with author Ben Goldfarb. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we hear from Salvadorans who are in the region on Temporary Protected Status, but might soon be forced to leave the country. And we visit the detention center where deported Salvadorans are welcomed back into El Salvador. Plus, a unique program teaches students how to play squash, and helps them gain admission to competitive schools. We also listen to the first episode of VPR’s new podcast, “JOLTED,” which explores a school shooting that didn’t happen, and the repercussions of the event. Finally, we discuss the link between mental illness and creativity and learn about the lives of a neurologist and a famous author. It’s NEXT.  (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A year after a racially-charged, violent incident in New Hampshire, we hear from two young men about their experience growing up black in a town that’s mostly white. Plus, we sit in on a new play that discusses race, with the hope of making its audience uncomfortable. We also hear about an unexpected victory in the Massachusetts state primaries, and check-in on the Massachusetts and Rhode Island legislative sessions. And, as the fire season continues in the West, we hear from a New Hampshire firefighter who has just returned from the Mendocino Complex. Finally, we discuss the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale and hear an orchestra inspired by the majestic creatures. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After PFAS Chemicals were found at the Coakley Landfill, residents demanded answers. NHPR’s Annie Ropeik explores the response from officials and community members. And, as the global market for recycling crashes, VPR’s John Dillon looks at how prices are changing in Vermont. Plus, what’s unique about governing in New England? We speak with two experts about the challenges of governing in our region. Finally, as MGM opens a casino in Springfield, Mass., we hear from local residents about their reactions, and learn about what programs are in place to help individuals with gambling addictions. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we speak with WBUR’s Shannon Dooling who recently returned from a reporting trip from Honduras and El Salvador where she explored the effects that U.S. Immigration Policies are having on individuals in those countries. Plus, after a forum about diversifying New Hampshire’s workforce faces a backlash, we explore how hate groups are present in our region. In addition, the PawSox announce that they are moving to Worcester, and we hear reactions from Pawtucket. And, did you know that heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano grew up in New England? Author Mike Stanton tells us about his roots in our region. Finally, we listen in on an annual moose calling competition. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: we explore eviction rates in Maine. Plus, New Hampshire is the only state in the country where the secure psychiatric unit is located inside of a prison. We discuss what that means for individuals in the unit. And, we learn how controlled burns can actually help keep some forests healthy. We also visit a summer camp held by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Cape Cod that combines culture and science. In addition, we discuss the legacy of the Salem Witch Trials with an author and a historian, and we visit Yale University’s bell tower, where we listen to music from a unique instrument: the carillon. NHPR’s Peter Biello guest hosts for John Dankosky. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we discuss the move to alternate forms of energy around the region, including the latest on the effort to bring hydropower from Canada to Massachusetts, a nuclear power plant that’s up for sale, and the effect of individual solar panels on the region’s grid. We also learn about PFAS chemicals in the region’s water, and how climate change is effecting coastal drinking wells. Plus, we visit two New England towns shaped by Stephen King: his hometown of Bangor, Maine, better known as the fictionalized Derry, and Orange, Massachusetts where the new series based on King’s Castle Rock was filmed. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore how proposed changes to the farm bill will affect SNAP programs around New England. Plus, we speak with an environmental journalist to learn how beavers have shaped our region. We explore how the response to acid rain could serve as an example for science informing public policy. And we take you on a hike in the White Mountains in New Hampshire to search for true quiet. Finally, we look at the United States’ relationship with Canada, and we visit a theater troupe who are performing along the border. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: we examine why HIV disproportionately affects African-Americans nationwide and learn about efforts to promote a drug that can lower one’s risk of getting the disease. Plus, during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, Provincetown, Massachusetts was hit especially hard. We hear from survivors about the impact of AIDS on their community. And, we speak with Bill Littlefield, host of WBUR’s “Only a Game,” before his retirement. Plus, we talk with a group of marathon swimmers who attempted to swim across a lake that borders both the United States and Canada to raise awareness about international borders. Finally, we learn about a program in a New Hampshire state prison where inmates learn woodworking. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: months after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, we check-in on life on the island. Plus, we look at conservation projects around New England, including a debate between “green” and “grey” infrastructure on Plum Island, Massachusetts. We visit a forest in Vermont that is helping to meet greenhouse gas goals in California and review a debate about whether or not to turn an old stone quarry into a massive reservoir in Connecticut. We hear about a proposed development in Central Vermont and the four small towns that banded together to stop it. Finally, we discuss how the trade war between the U.S. and China is affecting Maine’s lobster industry, and speak with two cousins who are bringing the Maine lobster bake around the country. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The view from the top of Mt. Washington. Photo by Annie Ropeik for NHPR This week we discuss border patrol checkpoints around New England and a recent arrest that was made in New Hampshire. And, we consider sustainable infrastructure around the region, including how a small island off the coast of Maine is transforming its energy system into what they call the next, next electricity grid. Tensions rise between preservation and tourism on top of Mt. Washington, and we see the effort being made to make the marijuana industry more energy efficient in Massachusetts. Also, as the state of Vermont narrowly avoided a government shutdown at the end of June, we check-in on Vermont politics. Finally, we get a tour of Cuttyhunk Island by the last two kids who live there. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: The invasive Emerald Ash Borer has made its way around the region, threatening millions of ash trees and the culture of the Penobscot Nation in Maine. And, as recreational marijuana becomes legal in Massachusetts, we hear from new populations who are considering partaking. Plus, we visit a Baseball Museum in an old mall in the Berkshires, and we speak with one of the best Atlantic salmon fishers alive, who reflects on the “Presidential” history of the fish. Finally, we take you to an exhibit in Lyme, Connecticut that explores the unique nature and history of the New England farm. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on a special 100th episode of NEXT: we hear highlights of a live panel discussion about the effects of immigration on the economy. Plus, we listen back to some of our favorite reports from the past 100 episodes, including how one actress perfected a Boston-flavored accent, why a local chef cooks with invasive species, and what a musician is doing to make a “sound map” of the White Mountains. Finally, we revisit a conversation with a composer whose music is inspired by the New England landscape. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As housing assistance ends for Puerto Rican evacuees in Massachusetts, many families face uncertainty. Plus, a look at Massachusetts’ struggling public transit, and the aging water treatment infrastructure along the Connecticut River. A rural small town in Maine wonders how it will get its high-achieving graduating high school seniors to return, and new programs in Vermont and Maine aim to bring in young workers. Finally, an interview with Bill McKibben about the Ripton Country store in Vermont, and the importance of general stores around New England. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: why is the region’s largest utility buying water companies? We explore Eversource’s move to get into the water business. Plus, a look at the new Hartford Commuter Rail that will link Springfield, Massachusetts to New Haven, Connecticut. And, we talk with a local author about how she is using language to preserve the changing world. Finally, a look at innovation around the region, from the booming biotech industry in Boston, to changing industrial buildings in New Hampshire, to innovative distilling in Vermont. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT we look at two sources of alternative energy: hydroelectric power along the Connecticut River, and solar power in New England. We also discuss gun deaths in Vermont and New Hampshire and hear about an unlikely partnership that is working to reduce the rate of gun suicides. Plus, fifty years since the death of Robert F. Kennedy, we reflect on his legacy and visit an archive of his assassination. Finally, we debate the history of stone walls in New England and listen to a stonemason describe the work that goes into creating each one. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: the story of how one “unaccompanied minor” traveled to Massachusetts. Plus, a massive wind farm will open off of the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. We discuss what this deal means for energy in the region. And, how the opioid crisis is affecting the African American population in Massachusetts, and pregnant women in New Hampshire. In addition, now that the New Hampshire legislative session has come to a close, we reflect back on the past few months of politics in the state. Finally, two local-food battles: one between the FDA and maple syrup producers in Vermont, another between food-delivery apps in Maine. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: We discuss security concerns on the Northern border of the United States. A Vermont Supreme Court ruling touches on when an action can be construed as a threat, and when it falls under a person’s right to free speech. Plus, while the Steamship Authority is performing an audit of the Martha’s Vineyard Ferry, we discuss the history and the future of the shipping industry in New England. We also hear about the “living memorial” to Holocaust survivors created by one Massachusetts man. We tour the Mark Twain house with a group of Puerto Rican evacuees. Finally, Maine-based L.L. Bean is finding unlikely success in Japan. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we’re focusing on the many ways climate change and rising sea levels are affecting New England. We talk with climate scientists, urban resilience experts, and artists about how they’re grappling with these questions. Plus, we’ll visit eroding salt marsh islands, rivers and streams that are getting saltier, and a city that’s bearing the brunt of climate worries and industrial infrastructure. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: why the opioid crisis is hitting Latinos in Massachusetts especially hard. Police are setting up stings to catch bootleggers in New Hampshire. Political news from around New England, including the new ranked-choice voting system in Maine, and a new bill in Connecticut that pledges the state’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. We also hear from a New Hampshire judge about how his son’s mental illness changed his life and visit a Palestinian art museum in Connecticut, which is the only one of its kind in the United States. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we visit a Hartford elementary school that is going to great lengths to make evacuees from Puerto Rico feel welcome. And, a mural in the Durham, New Hampshire post office that led to controversy last year is still causing concern. Plus, have you ever gotten a speeding ticket in Vermont? We dig into the three towns that gave the most tickets in 2017 and learn how their speed limits were set. In Maine, a police officer was shot, setting off a four-day manhunt for the suspect. We hear about the life and legacy of the officer, Somerset County Corporal Eugene Cole. And as the weather is getting warmer, sea turtles are being released back into the wild. We re-visit a group that is working to save them. Finally, an in-depth look at the world of recycling. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The front of the Vermont Statehouse, prior to the Gov. Phil Scott’s gun-reform bill signing Wednesday. The governor made an open invitation on Twitter for people to join him for at the bill signing. Photo by Emily Alfin Johnson for VPR. A Brazilian immigrant who has lived on Martha’s Vineyard for over 15 years is now facing deportation. But it’s not a clear-cut case. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports on the story behind the Supreme Court Case, “Pereira v. Sessions.” And, while states across New England are debating gun control regulations, Vermont passed a series of reforms earlier this month. VPR’s John Dillon walks us through what these new laws mean, and how Vermonters are reacting. Are young people leaving Vermont? That’s what VPR’s “Brave Little State” podcast set out to find out. We listen to an excerpt from their investigation and hear from NHPR’s Robert Garrova about the effort a small town in New Hampshire is going through to spark a creative economy. Plus, a look at the history of Yale University’s secret societies, including the notorious Skull and Bones. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A woman selling lobster rolls in the Maine building. Two-thirds of live lobsters sold outside the U.S. go to Asia.s. (Credit: Ryan King/WNPR) The next U.S. Census isn’t till 2020. But already, there’s controversy over a plan to ask all U.S. households about their citizenship status. The Mayor of Springfield, Mass. has been trying to shut down a church housing an undocumented woman from Peru. The Trump Administration has imposed tariffs on a number of products coming from abroad, including some 1,300 Chinese goods. China, responded with their own list and tariffs, which could affect two New England markets, craft beer and lobster. And finally, The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a dystopian near-future New England but pulls inspiration from the region’s Puritan past. It’s NEXT. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lewiston Blue Devils huddle before a game. (Amy Bass) An unusual asylum case in Massachusetts has a woman suing the federal government. A program in Maine is providing mental health to police. In Vermont, a group of war veterans are helping their colleagues by getting into the whiskey business. Also a new book, One Goal, tells the story of Lewiston, Maine, a divided town with an influx of refugees which finds common ground through soccer. And we’ll reflect on the Boston Marathon bombings, which happened five years ago this week. It’s NEXT. The Future Of Asylum-Seekers In a February 2017 photo, ICE officials arrest a foreign national during a targeted enforcement operation. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) Recently, a Central American woman applying for Asylum in Boston showed up to an appointment and answered questions for an hour. But the official marked her as absent from the appointment. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports on what happened, and what it means for the future of asylum-seekers in Massachusetts. The Mental Trauma Facing Maine Police A Burlington Police Officer keeps watch outside a building. (Taylor Dobbs for VPR) Police officers have shorter lifespans than average citizens and are more prone to commit suicide. For years, a stoic police culture has made it difficult for many to admit they may struggle with mental health issues. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports first responders around Maine are getting some new tools to help improve their psychological well-being. Vermont Veterans Open Distillery Zac Fike (L) and Matt Kehaya (R) work on a batch of beer at 14th Star Brewing Company. 14th Star donates proceeds from every batch to local nonprofits. Courtesy of Danger Close Craft Distilling A group of Vermont veterans is joining the craft distilling business. They’re using it as an opportunity to give back to others who have served. Rebecca Sheir tells the story of this Vermont distillery. How A Soccer Team Saved A Changing New England Town Coach Mike McGraw and the Lewiston Blue Devils during practice. (Amy Bass) In the late 1990s, Lewiston, Maine was in the midst of an economic downturn. But that all changed in 2001 when thousands of Somali refugees began arriving in the city. Over the decade, 7,000 African immigrants moved to the city of 36,000. And Lewiston was not always welcoming. In 2002 the mayor wrote a letter to the Somali community urging them to tell their friends and families to stop coming. One student wrote “Go back to Africa” on a mirror at a Lewiston high school. But attitudes towards the refugee community began to change when Coach Mike McGraw discovered that many of the young immigrants had a talent for soccer. As these students began to join the team and win more games, the city began to accept the new population. Amy Bass tells the story of this team changed the town in her new book, One Goal: A Coach, A Team, And the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together. She joins us this week to tell us how the team is on a quest for their first state championship. Click here for an excerpt from Amy’s book and more photos of the Lewiston soccer team. 122nd Boston Marathon Runners pour over the Mass Pike overpass at mile 25 in the 2014 Boston Marathon. (Jesse Costa for WBUR) This weekend, the greater Boston area will compete in the 122nd Boston Marathon. This race marks five years since two bombs exploded at the finish line, killing 3 people and injuring many more. We speak with WBUR’s Alex Ashlock, who has been covering the race for 20 years to hear what we can expect from this year’s Marathon. While the bombing will always be remembered for the tragedy on Boylston Street, it has created an unexpected legacy for one survivor and an army veteran. WBUR’s Shira Springer tells the story of how the bombing changed their lives and created innovation in trauma medicine. About NEXT NEXT is produced at Connecticut Public Radio. Host: John Dankosky Produced with help this week from Lily Tyson, Ali Oshinskie Special thanks to Carlos Mejia Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Fred Bever, Rebecca Sheir, Alex Ashlock, Shira Springer Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Green Mountain State” by Corinna Rose & The Rusty Horse Band, “Kala” by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, “A Million Reasons” by Lady Gaga, “Homeless California” by Monplaisir Stream every episode of NEXT. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Next time on NEXT… we’ll discuss why so many young people are leaving New England. We’d like to hear from you. Are you planning on leaving the region? Or maybe you just got settled? Tell us your story. Send a voice recording to NEXT at WNPR dot org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architect Duo Dickinson ruminates on one of the staples of New England architecture: the stone wall. Photo by Ryan Caron King for Connecticut Public Radio This week we discuss how David Shulkin’s departure from the White House will affect veteran care in New Hampshire. Miles away but worlds apart: dairy farmers in northern Vermont and southern Canada reflect on how national policies are affecting the future of their industry. Plus, 50 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we discuss his time in New England. Also, we go on a tour of New England’s unique architecture. It’s NEXT. The Future Of The Manchester VA The Manchester VA. Photo by Peter Biello for NHPR We check-in on the Veterans Association in Manchester, New Hampshire, where allegations arose last year of mismanaged care. Then-White House Secretary of Veteran Affairs, David Shulkin, pledged to help. But now Shulkin’s departure from the White House has left many veterans in Manchester wondering about the future of their VA, and about the privatization of veteran care around the country. NHPR’s Peter Biello joins us to walk us through the reactions in Manchester. Farming Across The Border Hans Kaiser and his son Terry operate a dairy farm in St. Armand, Quebec. They say the supply management system in Canada has let them earn a good living. Photo by John Dillon for VPR Vermont dairy farmers are experiencing some of the hardest times in recent memory: 12 farms in the state have gone out of business this year, according to the Agency of Agriculture. But across the border in Canada, dairy farms are thriving. VPR’s John Dillon travels to farms in Vermont and Canada to find out why. The Scarcity Of Warehouse Space In Maine Flickr, Andrea Hale As Maine and Massachusetts move toward full legalization of marijuana, farmers are fighting for space to grow. Cash-rich marijuana growers are buying up warehouse spaces in Portland, Maine. And Maine Public’s Fred Bever reports that many prospective growers are moving from Maine to Massachusetts. Martin Luther King Jr. In New England This month marks 50 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We revisit his time in New England with Dr. Stacey Close. Plus, the night after King was killed was the night James Brown “saved Boston” from going into a full-scale riot. Throughout the country, cities erupted in violence as a response to King’s death, but James Brown composed and compelled a live audience at the Boston Garden preventing chaos. An Architectural Tour Of New England Architect Duo Dickinson is the author of the new book,  A Home Called New England: A Celebration of Hearth and History. We met Duo in Madison, Connecticut, where, in just a few square miles, he gave us a tour of the region’s unique architectural styles. Watch the video above to see aerial footage of one of the places we visited in Madison. About NEXT NEXT is produced at Connecticut Public Radio. Host: John Dankosky Produced with help this week from Ryan Caron King, Lily Tyson, Ali Oshinskie Special thanks to Carlos Mejia Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Peter Biello, Fred Bever, John Dillon Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Homeless California” by Monplaisir, “Family and Genus” by Shakey Graves Stream every episode of NEXT. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

View of the March for Our Lives rally at the N.H. State House on March 24, 2018. (Sean Hurley/NHPR) This week, we look into what’s next for clean energy in Massachusetts since the rejection of the Northern Pass project. We hear from reporters around the region about a new project that was selected in late March. Students around the country marched for increased gun control measures and we discuss some actions states can take to reduce gun-related deaths. Plus, have you ever heard of the “Northeast Kingdom”? A small section of Vermont has earned the nickname, but how? Finally, we look into how colonial Americans created the system of weights and measurements that define our world today. It’s NEXT. Hydroelectric Power to Massachusetts  Map of the New England Clean Energy Connect line. Massachusetts energy officials have decided on a new project to bring Canadian hydroelectric power to the state. The project is the New England Clean Energy Connect and will run transmission lines through Maine to the Bay State. This comes after regulators in New Hampshire refused the Northern Pass project to run through their state. We check-in with WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman, MPR’s Fred Bever, and NHPR’s Annie Ropiek to hear how this decision was reached, and what’s next. To read more about the history of this energy endeavor, and other energy-related news from New England, visit “The Big Switch: New England’s Energy Moment.” Students March for School Safety  Two marchers outside the State House. (Sean Hurley/NHPR) Students around the country marched for increased gun control measures in March for Our Lives events last weekend. NHPR’s Sean Hurley spoke with students, teachers, and protesters at one march in New Hampshire. And, the debate continues: how can states reduce the number of gun-related deaths? The Boston Globe has laid out the steps Massachusetts has taken to reduce deaths and highlights how the country can follow their lead in their editorial, “7 Steps. 27,000 Lives.” We speak to their Editorial Editor, Ellen Clegg, on why the Globe chose to wrap their newspaper in shocking statistics to highlight this hotly debated topic. Welcome to The Northeast Kingdom  Cross Street in Island Pond. This month on ‘Brave Little State,’ we answer just how “different” the Northeast Kingdom is from the rest of Vermont. (Angela Evancie / VPR) Have you ever heard of the Northeast Kingdom? One Vermonter asked VPR’s “Brave Little State” podcast about whether the Northeast Kingdom is really so different from the rest of the state. We hear about the surprising ways the region differs from the rest of the state while also maintaining its unique Vermont character. Weights and Measures Why was standardizing weights and measures such a priority for colonial Americans? WNPR’s Patrick Skahill finds the method behind the measurements. Minor League Singers  Hartford Yard Goats Home Opener in 2017. (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public) This week, minor and major league baseball teams will have their opening days. But it’s not just the players who are warming up for their first day out on the field. NEPR’s Tema Silk visits singers who are having tryouts in the hopes of performing the national anthem at Dunkin Donuts Park for the Hartford Yard Goats.       About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Produced with help this week from Lily Tyson and Ali Oshinskie Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Bruce Gellerman, Fred Bevers, Annie Ropiek, Sean Hurley, Angela Evancie, Patrick Skahill, Tema Silk Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Sunrise Blues” by Samuel James, “Johnny Appleseed” by Dar Williams Stream every episode of NEXT. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump has declared opioid abuse a national health emergency. But that’s not news to the people of New Hampshire where the death rate from addiction is twice the national average. That’s why President Trump chose Manchester, New Hampshire to deliver a speech about the national epidemic this week. We check-in on two groups affected by this crisis, who are often overlooked: the recovery community and first responders, many of whom are suffering from “compassion fatigue.” Plus, six months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, we re-visit Connecticut’s efforts to help evacuees resettle in the state. President Trump Speaks in New Hampshire Director John Burns of SOS Recovery teaches a training on “compassion fatigue” in Dover.(Paige Sutherland/NHPR) NHPR’s Paige Sutherland reports on how first responders and those working in the recovery field in New Hampshire are dealing with the pressures of responding to drug overdoses in the state. It’s a phenomenon called “compassion fatigue,” and experts are working to provide resources to help groups deal with it. In President Trump’s New Hampshire speech, he focused on his administration’s efforts to curb the opioid epidemic. Trump also took the opportunity to call-out, once again, the MS-13 gang. The gang was started in California by immigrants from El Salvador, and Trump has mentioned them in the past to promote his immigration policies. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports how citizens of West Brookfield suspect the gang is taking hold of their small Massachusetts town after a family of four was murdered. Six Months After Hurricane Maria, Evacuees Remain in Connecticut Aura Alvarado helped run the relief center in Hartford. She says there’s still a need for services for hurricane evacuees.(Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public Radio) In the six months since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, hundreds of families from the island have found new homes in Connecticut. When they arrived in the state, many of these families were greeted by Hartford’s Hurricane Relief Center. Last week, the Relief Center closed. WNPR’s Ryan Caron King reports on how future evacuees will be able to find help without the aid of the city’s Relief Center. Meanwhile, nearly 1,800 Puerto Rican students have entered the Connecticut public school system. One Connecticut university has opened its doors to evacuees who wanted to take classes in the short term. WNPR’s Vanessa de la Torre reports that six months after the storm students are facing questions about their future. For more stories about Puerto Rico and Connecticut after Hurricane Maria, visit “The Island Next Door.” Whales versus…Lobsters? The North Atlantic right whale is an endangered animal, but last year the species suffered a record number of deaths due to fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes. MPR’s Fred Bever discusses how the lobster industry is posing a serious threat to the future of the North Atlantic right whale. Concerns Over Oversight as Vermont’s Agriculture Industry Grows As Vermont’s agriculture industry is growing, VPR’s John Dillon speaks with a local activist who is worried about lax state oversight over large-scale dairy farming. Will Dowd’s Areas of Fog The weather in New England never makes any sense. It’s a fact we’re reminded of after our fourth consecutive Nor’easter in less than eight weeks. In his book, Areas of Fog, poet Will Dowd begins each essay with a weather report. We speak with Dowd about his collection and discuss how New England residents’ beliefs and relationship with the weather have changed over the centuries. New England’s Town Meetings Zeb Towne, of Duxbury, is reportedly the only elected dogcatcher in the United States. Last week he was reelected without opposition. (Amy Kolb Noyes/VPR) Town meetings are often considered to be the pinnacle of old-school New England democracy, but in Amherst, Massachusetts, the merit of a town meeting is up for debate. NEPR’s Ben James spoke to residents about why the tradition is up for a vote next month and why some are passionate about saving it. Finally, during a break in one Vermont town meeting, VPR’s Amy Kolb Noyes introduces us to one of the only elected dogcatchers in the country.     About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Produced with help this week from Lily Tyson Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Paige Sutherland, Shannon Dooling, Ryan Caron King, Vanessa de la Torre, Fred Bever, John Dillon, Ben James, Amy Noyes Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Homeless California” by Monplaisir, “Fireflies” by Lionel Cohen, “Stories We Build, Stories We Tell” by José González, “Tristane” by Oskar Schuseter Stream every episode of NEXT. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Students around New England participated in a national school walkout this past Wednesday, calling on Congress to pass stricter gun control laws. We look at efforts to keep students safe, through state models for gun control reforms, and Connecticut’s efforts to increase school security. Plus, we visit New Englanders touched by immigration: one New Hampshire man who is being deported, and a Rhode Island man who is in training to become a Customs and Border Protection officer. Student Safety A month after 17 people were killed in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Flordia students across the country walked out of classrooms to protest gun laws. While these groups are calling for stricter gun control regulations nationally, some states are taking action into their own hands. WBUR’s Anthony Brooks reports that states should use Connecticut’s gun control success as a model for future reforms. Students in Hartford join the national walkout over gun violence. (Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public Radio) While the effort has prioritized student safety, Connecticut has spent over $50 million on school security since 2013. But WNPR’s David DesRoches reports that private schools may be getting preferential treatment.       Immigration in New England Top row (L) Ageth Okeny (R) Haitham Bol; Bottom row L-R: Sagda Bol, Magda Bol and Atka Bol. (Courtesy the Okeny Family.) One New Hampshire woman, Ageth Okeny, is trying to get her son help as he faces deportation. She brought her four kids, including her son, Haitham Bol, to America after fleeing war in Sudan eighteen years ago. Now Haitham has been told by ICE officers that he will be sent to South Sudan, a war-torn country that he has never visited. NHPR’s Robert Garrova tells the story of Ageth and Haitham. Meanwhile, WBUR’s Shannon Dooling traveled Brunswick, Georgia to a facility that trains U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP), including a 26-year-old from Rhode Island. Maple Syrup Industry Sees Rise in Investors Maple sugar collection. (CC/USDA). Around the world, demand for one of New England’s most famous commodities, maple syrup, is growing. But due to the increase in demand, investors are traveling to Vermont to get into the syrup business, creating tension between price and production. VPR’s Lorne Matalon reports on how outside investors are affecting Vermont’s maple syrup industry. New England’s “New” Culture The last three issues of Take Magazine. Take Magazine‘s tagline is “New England’s New Culture”. Instead of focusing on traditional New England images, like lighthouses, lobsters, and Plymouth Rock, the magazine cataloged New England’s art scene. Despite their unique mission, the magazine has just released its final issue (archived issues are still available online). We revisit a conversation with the magazine’s publisher, Michael Kusek, on where New England has been, and what direction it is moving towards. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin, with help this week from Lily Tyson Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Anthony Brooks, David DesRoches, Robert Garrova, Shannon Dooling, Lorne Matalon Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Unsquare Dance” by Dave Brubeck Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Hampshire is known for its mountain views, but it’s got another less family-friendly attraction- cheap liquor. Out-of-staters have been skirting the legal limits of what you can buy at state-owned liquor stores, but the government is not so keen to investigate. And while we try to stay warm, we hear about a program that helps Connecticut residents keep the drafts out, and visit a company in Maine that builds some of the most efficient homes on the market. Plus, we parse what New England communities ask from their local baseball teams – and what the owners of those teams are asking from taxpayers in two struggling cities. The Hartford Yard Goats play the Trenton Thunder at Dunkin Donuts Park, Hartford, Connecticut, in July 2017. (Jesse Douglas/CC) The Hennessy State A New Hampshire State Liquor outlet near the state border on Interstate 93. (NHPR file photo). In the absence of an income or sales tax, New Hampshire uses the lure of cheap liquor to help balance the books. The state owns and operates about 80 retail liquor stores – nearly every liquor store in the state. Many of these low-cost, high volume outlets are strategically located on the state’s southern border, some at highway rest stops. Recently, out-of-staters have been arrested for cash transactions that skirt legal limits, and one elected official from New Hampshire is sounding the alarm. The liquor at the center of his concerns is Hennessy cognac. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Todd Bookman is part of a reporting team that has been looking into this story. And he says its not the first time the issue has surfaced in the state. All About Efficiency As New England’s aging fleet of oil and nuclear plants retire, one way to make up for lost energy is to build more generation: new solar panels or wind turbines. But before we add to the grid, there is a simpler way to lower emissions –improve the energy efficiency of homes. As Connecticut Public Radio’s Patrick Skahill reports, a home energy audit can help with that by sealing up houses from wind and helping to lower heating bills. But as state budgets tighten, some of those programs are going away. A wall section is lowered by a crane on to the foundation of a “passive house” manufactured by the Maine company Ecocor. (Jon Kalish/NEXT) European architects and house builders have taken the lead in building the healthiest and most energy efficient homes. They are part of the so-called passive house movement, which began in the early 1990’s in response to high energy costs. In the last ten years passive homes have been popping up in the United States. The leading builder of these homes, a company called Ecocor, is based in rural Maine. Independent producer Jon Kalish has more. Root for the Home Team Built in the 1940s, McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket is the home of the PawSox, a farm team for the Boston Red Sox. The team is asking for public money to build a new stadium in downtown Pawtucket. (Elisabeth Harrison/RIPR) Minor league baseball is booming across America. It’s family-friendly, relatively inexpensive, and it brings the sport to small and mid-sized cities that don’t have major league baseball. Pawtucket, Rhode Island has been home to minor league baseball since the early 1970s, and the city has had a special kind of relationship with its team ever since. It doesn’t hurt that the team- the Pawtucket Red Sox-  is affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, located just an hour up the highway. Red Sox legends like Jim Rice, Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens all played for the team lovingly known as the “PawSox” at old McCoy Stadium. But now team officials say they need a new stadium. It’s launched a political battle over public funding for a private stadium, and brought back some bad feelings left from another baseball-related deal in Rhode Island’s recent past. Rhode Island Public Radio political reporter Ian Donnis brings us the latest on this political fight over a cherished civic institution. Areas of land the city of Hartford, Connecticut, is looking to develop around the minor league baseball stadium. (Courtesy: City of Hartford) The city of Hartford already built a brand-new minor league ballpark to lure a minor league team from nearby New Britain, Connecticut. Much like in Pawtucket, the plan is to build residential and retail developments near the park. The surrounding North End neighborhood currently has a lot of vacant lots and boarded-up buildings. And while the Hartford Yard Goats played their first season at the ballpark last year, the adjacent developments have yet to begin. Hartford residents are thinking about what should come next, what the area needs, and what might be lost. New England Public Radio’s Heather Brandon reports. Tom and Jean Yawkey’s initials depicted in Morse code line the white stripes separating the American League scores on the Green Monster at Fenway Park. (Eric Kirby/Flickr) And this week, New England’s only major league baseball team is reckoning with its past…sort of. Last week, the Red Sox filed a petition with the City of Boston to change the name of the street that Fenway Park sits on. That street is named Yawkey Way after Tom Yawkey, who became the last major league team owner to hire a black player in 1959. The petition would return the street to its original name – Jersey Street. But as WBUR’s Ally Jarmanning reports, there’s still a visible reminder of Tom Yawkey’s legacy at Fenway. Confronting Hate on Campus University of Vermont students walked out of class in February 2018, demanding the school do more to address racial justice and inequity on the Burlington campus. (Liam Elder-Connors/VPR) It seems every few weeks there is a hate crime reported on a college campus in New England. The groups that keep track of these  incidents say there is, in fact, a marked increase in the number of racist slurs found scrawled on campus walls and an increase in white supremacist group activity. As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, protests are also on the rise, as students demand their schools and classmates pay more attention to why hate has come to campus. Wild Women Julia Wilcox and Claire Rouge tend to a fire they made during BOW’s winter survival skills class. Do you have what it takes to be an outdoors-woman? New Hampshire Public Radio’s Annie Ropeik attend a winter survival skills class with the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game where participants start fires, built show shelters, and learn to fend for themselves. About NEXT NEXT is produced at Connecticut Public Radio. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Todd Bookman, Lauren Chooljian, Casey McDermott, Patrick Skahill, Jon Kalish, Ian Donnis, Heather Brandon, Ally Jarmanning, Jill Kaufman and Annie Ropeik Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, praise, questions, story ideas, and winter survival tips to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Guatemalan family living in Massachusetts faces a painful separation. Organic dairy farmers feel the squeeze of low prices and production quotas. And we talk to two communities on opposite sides of the political spectrum who are opting for dialogue over division. Plus, we hear the true story behind the legend of a notorious Rhode Island shipwreck; and learn how artists make a living in New England and beyond. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling fills in for John Dankosky this week. Isidro Macario waits at security as his travel documents are processed by ICE officers before boarding his flight. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) “They’re Taking Them One-By-One” Isidro Macario, right, hugs his younger brother Erwin goodbye before being escorted by ICE officers to the boarding gate at Logan Airport. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) Saying goodbye at Boston’s Logan Airport is a familiar, and painful scene for the four Macario brothers. Two years ago they said goodbye to their father when he was deported back to his native Guatemala after losing an asylum case. This week, the oldest brother, Isidro, faced the same fate. Accompanied by federal immigration officers through airport security, Isidro was bound for deportation back to Guatemala, where he was born. Shannon Dooling met with the family in Lynn, Massachusetts just a few days before Isidro was deported. Too Much Milk Randolph Center, Vt. farmer David Silloway offers free milk samples at the annual Farm Show. An oversupply of organic milk has stalled Silloway’s plans to earn a higher price for his product. (John Dillon/VPR) Organic dairy farmers are getting paid less because of an oversupply of their milk.The overabundance was enough to keep one major organic buyer from signing up with new farmers. For years, organic farming was a bright spot in the regional dairy economy. But as Vermont Public Radio’s John Dillon reports, organic milk sales are falling down, and so are the wages that farmers are paid. Reaching Out The election of President Donald Trump in 2016 left much of the country divided along strict partisan lines. But residents in Leverett, Massachusetts, a small, liberal town just north of Amherst, wanted to know more about the people who voted for Mr. Trump. To do that, they had to look outside of their own community. Paula Green, a professional conflict facilitator and co-founder of the Leverett Peace Commission led the charge. Her group reached out to conservative communities throughout the country, and they connected with one in Letcher County, Kentucky after reading an article written by a Connecticut native. Soon enough, the Leverett group was emailing back and forth with a community in the heart of coal country, many of whom were Trump voters. Last October, community members from Letcher County visited Leverett for a three-day workshop, facilitated by Green. In April, the Massachusetts residents will visit Kentucky. They call the project “Hands Across the Hills.” We got a group of women together on the phone– Paula Green and Danielle Barshak from Leverett, and Gwen Johnson and Nell Fields of Letcher County– to talk about finding common ground, gaining an understanding of divergent positions, and forging friendships. Ghost Ship In 1738, a British merchant ship carrying immigrants from southwest Germany was grounded in a post-Christmas blizzard on the tip of Block Island. The storm and on-board sickness wiped out 200 passengers and crew members leaving, only 100 alive. The incident grew to a local legend as tales of murder, mutiny, and theft began swirling. Over centuries, islanders have reported seeing an apparition of a flaming ship off the coast of Block Island. Writer Jill Farinelli uncovers the true story of that shipwreck and its passengers in the new book The Palatine Wreck: The Legend of the New England Ghost Ship. The Business of Culture New England is often seen as a destination for history and natural beauty, but not necessarily as a hub for the arts. But New Englanders are known for being hard-working, thrifty, and ingenious. And consultant-turned-podcaster Lucas Spivey says those qualities are just as important for artists as a creative spark. Spivey travels the country interviewing artists about how they make a living from their art. He does that inside the “Mobile Incubator” – a retrofitted 1957 Shasta Trailer. Then he publishes those interviews on his podcast, Culture Hustlers. Mobile Incubator for Arts & Culture (LONG) from Mobile Incubator on Vimeo. Spivey spent part of last summer and fall as the public-artist-in-residence at the Boston Center for the Arts, where he interviewed local creators of different stripes. Now he’s back at the BCA with a gallery show featuring works by artists from around the country. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin met up with Spivey for a tour of the exhibition and for an insight into the hustle of creating culture in New England. Got a question about the business of the arts? Leave a voicemail for Lucas Spivey on the Culture Hustlers Hotline at 978- 712-8858. You just might get the answer in the form of a podcast. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Guest Host this Week: Shannon Dooling Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: John Dillon, Shannon Dooling and Andrea Muraskin Special thanks this week to Ben Fink Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Not for Nothing” by Otis McDonald, “Down the Line” by Romare Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, praise, questions, story ideas, and stories about your hustle to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, some favorites from the archive: From north of the border comes a fascinating story of land disputes, French Canadian pride, and massive dams that are set to supply more power to the New England grid. We also tour an old Hartford factory that’s preparing for a new life as a food and jobs hub for a struggling neighborhood. And we get a taste of what’s new about New England food. Hydro-Quebec’s Daniel-Johnson Dam and Manicoucagan Reservoir seen from a helicopter. Photo by Hannah McCarthy for NHPR The Power Up North New England has aggressive goals for renewable energy, but high energy costs here push us towards a balance between the cleanest sources, and the least expensive. Nuclear and natural gas account for the biggest chunk of our energy production currently. As we’ve reported, Massachusetts is reviewing proposals for offshore wind energy projects that could be the first of their size in the country.  But increasingly, policymakers and utilities are looking at our neighbors to the north. A map provided by Hydro-Quebec shows existing dams, transmission lines, and projects under construction. A vast network of hydroelectric dams powers the province of Quebec, with plenty of inexpensive energy to spare. These dams belong to Hydro-Quebec, an electric company owned by the Quebec government. They supply about ten percent of the power used by the New England grid. Several of these proposals for new transmission lines that would connect New England with Canadian hydro were among the bids for a twenty-year renewable energy contract with the state of Massachusetts. At the end of January Massachusetts picked just one project – the Northern Pass – a power line that would cut north to south across much of New Hampshire, owned and operated by Eversource. Dedicated listeners know what happened next. A week later, an early decision by New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee brought those plans to a halt (and delayed the release of Episode 79 by a day as we scrambled to produce an update!) The committee denied Eversource a permit for the project because it would “unduly affect the orderly development of the region.” A famous 1962 campaign poster of the Quebec Liberal Party With Eversource about to head into an extensive appeals process, Massachusetts announced last week that the state will begin negotiations on another project to connect to Quebec’s hydro power- this time in Maine. So it seems very likely, sooner or later, New England will be doing more business with Hydro-Quebec. But that company’s story includes a struggle over economic power, ancestral lands, and cultural pride that cuts deep in Quebec. Reporters Sam Evans-Brown and Hannah McCarthy traveled up north to bring that extraordinary tale back. If you haven’t listened yet, now is a great time to catch up on “Powerline,” a special series from the NHPR podcast Outside/In that dives deep into the history Hydro-Quebec and its clashes with native tribes. Sam and Hannah joined us to discuss what they learned. Turning Over a New Leaf Many New England cities used to be manufacturing hubs. Workers lived near where they worked and supported the other businesses that sprung up around them. Today, old factories are puzzles to solve. Some retain a bit of small manufacturing — others are converted into high-end lofts, artists’ studios, and even world-class art museums, like MassMoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. The Swift Factory building is tucked into a residential section of Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. Gold leaf. Photo via Pixabay Gold leaf, a thin, paper-like gold product, was manufactured there for over 100 years. Leaf produced at Swift adorned the dome atop the Connecticut capitol building and decorated the lettering on the sides of local fire trucks. The company was owned by a white family, the Swifts. And the neighborhood, which had mostly white immigrant residents early in the 1900s, gradually became African-American and West Indian. It still is today. The Swift Factory closed in 2005. A nonprofit called Community Solutions took ownership in 2010 and surveyed the neighborhood to figure out what to do with the site. Sometimes, a factory renovation can be an early sign of gentrification. But the plans for this particular building are a response to the needs and desires of the people already living here, representatives say. On a factory tour last summer, we learned about what’s to come. We also got a sense of what factory life was like from a woman who experienced it firsthand. Fresh Perspectives on New England Cuisine “Local” has become the most important word in the world of New England food. “Local” grass-fed beef, locally-made sheep’s milk cheese, or restaurants that proudly list the names of local farmers that grow their food are all a growing part of this movement. Amy Traverso is senior food editor for Yankee Magazine and NewEngland.com, and she’s been watching these trends. She’s an expert in New England food, and an advocate for it. Traverso is also in charge of giving out Yankee Magazine’s annual Editor’s Choice Food Awards. Below: the 2017 winners. Traverso says chefs and food producers are challenging the notion of New England’s traditional foods. She’s covering new spins on classic dishes: lobster on black rice with brown butter aioli and baked beans with pomegranate molasses. We spoke with her last fall. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Sam Evans-Brown, Hannah McCarthy Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Like a Ship” by T.L. Barnett and the Youth for Christ Choir, “Adapt and Prosper” by Akrobatic Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, praise, questions, story ideas, and flakes of gold leaf to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Bedford, Massachusetts is known for its profitable fishing port. It even draws visitors by celebrating Moby Dick, a novel inspired by whalers there. But facing a crackdown on fishing by regulators, the city is starting to look at another source of revenue – offshore wind. We take a look inside the hidden, often lucrative world of Vermont sheriffs, and mourn (or celebrate??) the end of L.L. Bean’s lifetime return policy. Plus: responding to racism on campus through art, and Palestinian storytellers in Boston. A man looks at a harpoon display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum (John Bender/RIPR) Keeping Tabs on the Sheriff When Attorney General Jeff Sessions at a speech to the National Sheriffs Association said “The office of sheriff is a critical part of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement,” he prompted many shocked observers to wonder where that leaves people of color within that heritage. It’s also thrown a pretty harsh spotlight on the job of sheriff. But do you even know who your sheriff is? In 2006, an anonymous whistleblower tipped the Vermont state auditor off to financial misdeeds in the Windham County Sheriff’s Department, which was led by Sheila Prue. If you live in Connecticut, that’s a trick question! County government is nonexistent in the Nutmeg State — that’s why there are no sheriffs — but it’s not very strong in other New England states either. While Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts have elected sheriffs, their elections don’t get much attention. That lead a listener to the Vermont Public Radio podcast Brave Little State to ask: if voters aren’t holding these elected officials accountable, then who is? VPR investigative reporter Emily Corwin dug in and joins us to share some surprising tales of sheriffs going bad — and virtually getting away with it. So, did that dog bed you purchased from LL Bean five years ago get chewed by its occupant? Up until last week, you could just take it back and get a replacement for no charge. But the iconic Maine company is changing its famous unconditional return policy — one that has been a part of the brand since it started more than a century ago. The change comes as a response to the growing number of customers who have been taking advantage of the policy. Maine Public Radio’s Patty Wight reports. “The Last Arrow,” by Thomas Moran, is one of the works slated for sale by the Berkshire Museum. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s And there are plenty of complaints about a deal the Massachusetts attorney general struck with Berkshire Museum. The deal allows, with some conditions, the museum to sell up to 40 works of art — including two Norman Rockwell paintings — to fund renovations and boost its endowment. A group of the museum’s members said it will press forward in a lawsuit attempting to block the sale. New England Public Radio’s Adam Frenier has more. A Maritime Past and Future in New Bedford Boats docked at the Port of New Bedford. (Lynn Arditi/RIPR) New Bedford, Massachusetts was on the front page of the New York Times this week. The headline: “A Famed Fishing Port Shudders as Its Codfather Goes to Jail.” Back in October, fishing magnate Carlos Rafael, also known as “the Codfather,” was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for mislabeling his catch and money-laundering. But with Rafael behind bars, the men who worked for him are barred from catching groundfish with his boats. Some of Rafael’s boats and permits have even been seized by regulators. And as the Times reports, the ripple effects can be felt across the usually bustling port of New Bedford, which has gone eerily quiet. Visitors listen to Moby Dick read aloud, during the annual Moby Dick Marathon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. (John Bender/RIPR) Yet while the fishing sector sits in limbo, another industry is just gearing up off Massachusetts’ South Shore — offshore wind. Right now, the Commonwealth is developing what could be the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind project, and New Bedford wants to be a big part of it. Rhode Island Public Radio’s environmental reporter Avory Brookins takes a look at that city’s bet on offshore wind energy. In the mid 19th Century, New Bedford was one of the world’s whaling capitals. The whaling industry is long gone, but New Bedford is drawing in fans of the world most famous leviathan. RIPR’s John Bender has the story. The RIPR newsroom has been exploring New Bedford for their series “One Square Mile,” and there’s lot’s more at ripr.org. RIPR and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth are holding a public forum on Wednesday, February 21 called “After the Codfather: The Future of New Bedford’s Fishing Industry.” Admission is free, registration required. Cultural Catharsis A painting of Trayvon Martin was part of a performance piece by Imo Nse Imeh at Westfield State University. (Jill Kaufman) NEPR An art professor recently spent four days painting a six-foot-tall portrait of Trayvon Martin, while spectators came and went. The performance took place at Westfield State University, near Springfield, Massachusetts, where last semester there were numerous reports of racist messages left around campus. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. Nadia Abuelezam performs on stage at “Palestinians, Live!” a night of storytelling in Cambridge, Mass, on January 28. Photo by Annie Sinsabaugh When we hear about Palestinians in the news, it’s usually in the context of conflicts or negotiations with Israel. With their stories being so highly politicized, the personal narratives of Palestinians don’t often make it to American ears. Nadia Abuelezam, a Palestinian-American living in the Boston area, wants to change that. In 2015, she launched an event series called Palestinians, Live! featuring true stories told on stage. The stories are later released on Palestinians Podcast, which Nadia also created. Reporter Annie Sinsabaugh went to a recent Palestinians, Live! event at the Oberon Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she found not only entertainment but a community. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Patty Wight, Adam Frenier, Patrick Skahill, Avory Brookins, John Bender, Jill Kaufman and Annie Sinsabaugh Music: Todd Merrell, Ben Cosgrove, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Sama’i” and “Julnar” by Huda Asfour, “September Mountains” by “DrumTamTam” Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and diaspora stories to next@wnpr.org.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees, FEMA housing support runs out on February 14. Though Hartford and Holyoke are hubs for Puerto Ricans, finding housing is a challenge. We hear reports from both cities. And we weigh the costs and benefits of living in that outlier of New England states – New Hampshire. Plus, a musician who takes inspiration from the land itself joins us in the studio. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world of renewable energy doesn’t seem like one that would be filled with drama. But that’s just what we had this week, when a New Hampshire governing body decided to deny a permit for a massive transmission project. We talk to our panel of energy reporters about what it will take to get green power to New England. Plus, Maine’s lobster population has been booming, and new research points to some reasons why. And we sit down with the man behind Take Magazine – an ambitious, but ultimately unsustainable magazine that attempted to tell a story about New England’s arts and culture. “Black Madonna.” Public artwork created by Cedric “Vise” Douglas and Julz Roth for the Beyond Walls Mural Festival in Lynn, Mass. Featured in the final issue of Take Magazine. Photo courtesy of Beyond Walls and Christopher Gaines of the Littlest Astronaut Northern Pass Wins in Mass, Loses at Home Massachusetts has been looking to increase the amount of renewable energy it gets to serve its growing population. As we’ve reported, there are many suitors to try and serve that need, from small-scale solar farms to big transmission projects. After a lot of lobbying dollars spent, the Commonwealth picked one big power line to cover a sizable portion of its energy needs for the next 20 years, to the surprise of many observers. A sign protesting Northern Pass stood in the parking lot Wednesday outside the building where the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee met to discuss whether to greenlight the project. (Annie Ropeik/NHPR) That power line is known as Northern Pass – a  controversial project which would transmit Canadian hydro-electric power by cutting through nearly 200 miles, traversing New Hampshire from north to south. The drama came Thursday, when the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee voted unanimously to deny a permit to Eversource to build Northern Pass, citing concerns that the power line would harm the state’s economy. Eversource has promised to appeal the decision in court. So what does this decision mean for Northern Pass, and for other projects that hope to bring renewable energy to the New England grid? We speak with New Hampshire Public Radio energy reporter Annie Ropeik, Vermont Public Radio’s John Dillon and Connecticut Public Radio’s Patrick Skahill. Hydro-Quebec’s Daniel-Johnson Dam seen from a helicopter. (Hannah McCarthy/NHPR) There’s another story behind this one: about the massive Canadian hydro-electric dams that would provide inexpensive, reliable power to Northern Pass and other proposed transmission lines from Quebec to New England. To hear that fascinating tale, we highly recommend the series “Powerline” from the NHPR podcast Outside/In. Or for a condensed treatment, check out Episode 72 of the NEXT podcast. Lobster Tails A female lobster bearing eggs. When Maine lobster harvesters find a lobster like this, they put a notch in its tail and throw it back. That way, other fishermen will know not to harvest a fertile female. (Gulf of Maine Research Institute) It’s either boom or bust for New England’s lobster industry, depending on where you’re looking. The southern lobster fishery — in Long Island Sound and off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts — is in trouble. Climate Change has contributed to die-offs, and the lobster population has largely moved North. That’s great news for Maine fishermen, who’ve seen record lobster landings this century. New research concludes that the conservation techniques pioneered in Maine have helped drive that boom. And as Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports, researchers say those same techniques could have slowed the collapse of the Southern New England lobster fishery. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates interstate fishing, has started an effort to better gauge the East Coast lobster population. The commission says their assessment of lobsters will be complete by  2020. The goal is to evaluate the health of the lobster population, and to improve management of the species. We called Megan Ware, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, to learn more. Reflections on “New England’s New Culture” The last three issues of Take. What are some of the first things you think when you hear the words “New England?” Lighthouses? Pilgrims? Paul Revere? Autumn leaves? Lobster? That list – filled with history and nature – helps form our perceptions of the place; even though New England is also filled with world class museums, galleries and performing arts. Michael Kusek is the publisher of Take, based in Holyoke, Mass. (Courtesy Michael Kusek) That’s the perception that a magazine called Take fought against when it launched in 2015. It’s tagline: “New England’s New Culture.” Operating out of Holyoke, Massachusetts with a staff of ten, Take puts out beautiful print issues bimonthly. The magazine is filled with profiles of artists all over our region, and there’s also a website highlighting things to do. But last week, Take published their final issue. Our guest, publisher Michael Kusek, says he learned a lot about the arts in New England – and the challenges of spreading the word. Visit our Facebook page to view a gallery of photographs from Take‘s reporting around the region. While you’re there, leave a note about something going on in the arts in your corner of New England, and we’ll be sure to share with our followers. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Annie Ropeik, John Dillon, Patrick Skahill and Fred Bever Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and fan art to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, some interviews and stories from the archive. We look at the data on gun deaths in Vermont, and think through ways to prevent suicides in places where gun ownership is part of life for many. Plus, Orange is the New Black actress Yael Stone reveals the thinking behind her character’s blend of Boston and Brookyln accents, and we talk with a linguist about how the way New Englanders talk is changing. Also, wicked powda, wicked cheap: a visit to a down-home mountain where skiing is affordable for the masses. Can you spot the dialect difference in this bagel shop menu? From the (now closed) Bagel Basement in Hanover, New Hampshire. Courtesy of James Stanford Under the Gun For many people in Vermont, guns are a way of life. Unlike more populous, more urban states in our region, Vermonters own guns at a higher rate, and fiercely protect their gun rights. That means looser gun laws than in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island; but also a higher per capita rate of gun deaths than in those states. Reporters at Vermont Public Radio looked into the numbers behind this reality, and found some surprising data and personal stories.  They learned that 420 people died from gunshot wounds in Vermont between 2011 and 2016. Eighty-nine percent of those deaths were suicides. Data visualization by Taylor Dobbs for Vermont Public Radio Cragin’s Gun Shop in Rutland, Vt. primarily serves hunters. Owner John Cragin said suicide is a tricky issue – but if he has any doubts about selling someone a gun, he won’t make the sale. Photo by Liam Elder-Connors for VPR Our guest Taylor Dobbs produced the reporting project “Gunshots: Vermont Gun Deaths, 2011-2016″ last summer, when he was digital reporter at Vermont Public Radio. (Dobbs is now an investigative and statehouse reporter for Seven Days.) We were also joined by Matthew Miller, M.D., a professor of health sciences and Epidemiology at Northeastern University and co-director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. VPR has made the death certificate data gathered for the project public. You can find a spreadsheet here. The Shifting New England Accent The Netflix prison drama “Orange is the New Black” features a woman with a Boston-flavored accent. Bit this character’s way of talking is complicated, and so is her story. Developing that sound brought actress Yael Stone to Boston. There, she she met up with WBUR’s Sarah Rose Brenner, who has this report. A linguistic map based on 626 recent recordings collected by James Stanford and others from speakers around New England. Speakers in the red areas tend to pronounce the vowels in the words “lot” and “thought” the same way. Speakers in blue areas tend to pronounce the vowels in each word differently. Dropped Rs and long As can be heard, of course, not only in Boston, but across much of New England. Yet in a 2012 paper published in the Journal of American Speech, Dartmouth College linguist James Stanford and his colleagues made the case that a classic New England accent is receding. In a recent study, Stanford and his partners used an online crowd-sourcing tool to reach over 600 speakers around the region. This big data set allowed them to tease out subtle differences in the way people from different parts of New England talk. Their results will be published this year in American Speech. James Stanford joined us to discuss some of his team’s findings. Chaeyoon Kim, Sravana Reddy, Ezra Wyschogrod, and Jack Grieve are co-authors on the study. For a deep dive into the Vermont accent, we highly recommend the very first episode of Vermont Public Radio’s podcast Brave Little State. Are you proud of your accent? A little embarrassed? Or maybe you don’t have an accent at all (or you don’t think you do!) Tell us about it on Twitter or Facebook. You can also record yourself –or your loved one– on your phone’s voice recorder/ voice memo app. Send a clip to next@wnpr.org. Powder to the People A hand-painted sign hangs on the wall at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Area in Franklin, New Hampshire. Photo courtesy of NHPR. Here in New England, downhill skiing comes with a high price tag and a ritzy reputation. A lift ticket at Sugarloaf in Maine will run you $95, and at Jay Peak in Vermont, the price is $84. Even at Ski Sundown, a small mountain in Connecticut, getting on the slopes on a Saturday or Sunday costs $60. But at Veterans Memorial Ski Area in Franklin, New Hampshire, admission is just $20. Instead of a chair lift, there’s a metal bar that goes behind the thighs, attached to a rope that pulls skiers up the 230-foot hill. Once upon a time, these no-frills ski areas were the rule in New England, rather than the exception. So what happened? The team at New Hampshire Public Radio’s podcast Outside/In went to Franklin to figure out how skiing “got fancy.” For more, listen to the full Outside/In episode, “Gnar Pow.” Connecticut is not known for big mountains. But if you travel to the far northwest corner, the Berkshires rise to nearly 2400 feet in the tiny town of Salisbury. It’s there that you find a little piece of Nordic sporting history. For 92 years, Salisbury has been hosting “Jumpfest,” a celebration of ski jumping. During the main event, skiers in brightly colored suits fly off a snow-covered ramp, on top of a 220-foot hill. Spectators ring cowbells and drink hot toddies, but this isn’t just for fun. The competition is a qualifier for the junior nationals, and most of the jumpers on the big hill are between 12 and 16. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin paid a visit to last year’s festival and brought back this audio postcard. The 2018 Jumpfest runs February 9 through 11, and is open to the public. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Taylor Dobbs, Sarah Rose Brenner, Sam Evans-Brown, Jimmy Gutierrez, and Maureen McMurray Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and recordings of your uncle’s accent to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A woman who’s widely referred to as the “original Dreamer” weighs in on the current moment in immigration. A young man shares a tale of rising above poverty, homelessness, and undocumented status. Plus, does Boston deserve its racist reputation, and what’s being done to move beyond it? We discuss takeaways from the Boston Globe’s series on racism with columnist Adrian Walker. We get a critical look at offshore wind from across the pond, and rethink a potato-focused school break. Tereza Lee, center, protests in New York City on Wednesday. Lee – whose parents brought her to the U.S. as a child without documents – reached out to Sen. Richard Durbin about her family’s status as a teenager. Durbin would go on to introduce the DREAM Act in Congress.  (Courtesy Tereza Lee) They Had a Dream This week, the fate of young immigrants across New England has been at the center of a Washington political debate over DACA — or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. And, they’ve been a chip in a bigger political fight over keeping the government open. At stake is whether these so-called “Dreamers” – who were brought to the country illegally by their parents years ago – will be allowed to stay, or be forced to return to countries many of them don’t consider home. The movement behind the DREAM Act began nearly 20 years ago when an undocumented teenager in Chicago wrote to her senator. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling sat down with Tereza Lee, the woman  known as the original “Dreamer.” Saul Grullon, a native of the Dominican Republic, was abused by his parents because of his sexuality. (Beth Reynolds|Joyce Showyra/ NEPR) While Tereza Lee grew up with the fear of being separated from her family, Dominican-born Saul Grullon sought refuge from his family in the immigration system. Grullon come out to his family as gay when he was a teenager living in New Jersey, and he encountered such hostility that it felt dangerous to stay at home. Grullon was undocumented, but he was able to apply for a temporary visa through VAWA — the Violence Against Women Act. He told his moving story for New England Public Radio’s “Words in Transit” project. Is Boston Racist? About a year ago, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh took a staunchly pro-immigrant stand in the face of President Trump’s executive order pledging to strip funding from so-called “sanctuary cities.” Walsh said that people fearing deportation could live at city hall, if they wanted. Other cities in the greater Boston metropolitan area also promised to do what they could to protect immigrants. But there’s another group whose members don’t always feel welcome in Boston: African Americans. Saturday Night Live cast member Michael Che brought up this sentiment before last year’s Superbowl — when the Patriots played against the Atlanta Falcons. Sport and race have long been a sore spot in the city, but the history goes much deeper. Protests and riots around court-ordered school desegregation in the 1970s were a particularly ugly time for African Americans in Boston — one that’s left lasting scars. “I remember riding the buses to protect the kids going up to South Boston High School. And the bricks through the window. Signs hanging out those buildings, ‘Nigger Go Home.’ Pictures of monkeys. The words. The spit. People just felt it was all right to attack children.” – bus safety monitor Jean McGuire, a speaking with WBUR in 2014. Bill Russell experienced discrimination as the only black member of the Boston Celtics during the 1956-1957 season, his rookie year. The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team is known for investigations into issues like political corruption and sex abuse in the Catholic Church. Last fall the investigative unit took on what they call their most difficult question yet: Does Boston deserve its reputation as a racist city –and a place that’s unfriendly to blacks in particular? Their reporting series “Boston. Racism. Image. Reality” was published in print and online in December. Our guest Adrian Walker is a columnist for the Metro section of the Boston Globe. Walker is part of the team behind the Spotlight series, where he wrote about professional sports and fan culture. Winds of Change Fisherman Steve Barratt is aboard his boat Razorbill in the Ramsgate harbor in southeast England. Barratt says he’s lost valuable fishing ground to a wind farm in the Thames Estuary. (Chris Bentley/WBUR) We’ve reported on plans to build wind farms in the waters off Massachusetts’ South Shore and in the Atlantic south of Long Island, and the opposition by some fishermen to those plans. But right now, aside from a small array of turbines off the coast of Rhode Island, the worries are theoretical. To get a sense of how big wind farms might affect fishing in New England’s future, WBUR reporter Chris Bentley visited fishermen working near giant wind farms in the United Kingdom. If jobs in the new energy economy are seen as part of a growth industry, many in traditional farming communities have seen their way of life shrinking. Carson (left) and Kyle Flewelling, pictured in 2014, worked 12-hour days on their family farm in Easton during harvest break, spading up about 700 acres of russets for the fry and chip markets. (Jennifer Mitchell/ Maine Public In Maine’s northern Aroostook County the acreage for potato farming has shrunk over the last 50 years, and technology has reduced the demand for labor. That’s a big deal for high school students there, who have traditionally taken a three-week break from classes each fall to harvest potatoes. With far fewer teenagers now working in the fields, the school board in the town of Presque Isle is looking at a new approach that could end the tradition of the October break, and bring the harvest into the classroom. Maine Public Radio’s Robbie Feinberg reports. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Saul Grullon, John Voci, Tema Silk, Chris Bentley, and Robbie Feinberg Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Adapt and Prosper” by Akrobatic Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and potato harvest selfies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was a big week in weed: we catch up on the news around New England, and hear the story of a puzzled cancer patient trying to figure out how to manage the side effects of chemo with cannabis. Also, an investigation into water contamination in Vermont wells near farms reveals a shocking shortage of oversight by the government agency in charge of agricultural pollution. In the wake of a cold snap and flood-inducing “bomb cyclone,” we parse the difference between climate and weather. Plus, we’ll visit a driving school designed for New England winter, and explore the legacy of the first American woman to write a symphony. A Jersey heifer peers through a door used to push manure into a manure pit. (Emily Corwin/VPR) Even the Weather is Political Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, has said he will sign new marijuana legislation, calling it a “libertarian approach” to legalization. (Angela Evancie/VPR) There was big news this week about marijuana — both here in New England and in Washington. On Wednesday, Vermont became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through the legislative process. Other states including Massachusetts and Maine have legalized cannabis through ballot questions. Both of those states have been slowly working on legislative fixes to their laws that will allow for retail sales and taxation. In Connecticut, where medical marijuana is legal, the Department of Consumer Protection announced this week that it will award three new licenses to dispensaries. But marijuana is still illegal under federal law. And hanging over all of this news is United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s announcement that he will rescind an Obama-era policy against enforcing the federal law criminalizing the drug. Sessions has given prosecutors in those states discretion to prosecute violators, and the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts said that he can’t promise to take a hands-off approach to legalized marijuana. New England Treatment Access, in a former branch of Brookline Bank, is seen in February 2016. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) So, where does this leave people who want to use the drug legally, either for recreation or for medicine? Kate Murphy felt frustrated by what she sees as a lack of guidance from doctors on how to use medical marijuana to mitigate the impact of side effects related to her cancer treatment. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) A 2017 study in Washington State, where cannabis is legal even without a prescription, found that a quarter of cancer patients use pot to help with physical and psychological symptoms. As WBUR’s Karen Weintraub reports, large numbers of cancer patients in Massachusetts are also turning to cannabis. Weintraub introduces us to Kate Murphy, a breast cancer patient who found relief from the nausea of chemotherapy in medical marijuana for more than four years. But her story reveals a stunning lack of medical supervision over the type and dosage of the drug that patients are using. As all of New England was gripped with record setting cold temperatures over the last few weeks, you may have been wondering: “will it ever be warm again?” But that cold snap also prompted a flood of social media posts from climate-change doubters, including the president. The reply below others like it included an image from a visualization tool called the Climate Reanalyzer, which was created at the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute. It shows much of the eastern U.S. and Canada blanketed with colder than normal temperatures, and the rest, alight with red, showing temperatures above normal. Actually I’m pretty sure Antarctica shouldn’t be warmer than us soooooo pic.twitter.com/YwQeC9h4KW — Nate Heroux (@nateherouxmusic) January 2, 2018 We wanted to learn more about this tool and what it can tell us about the realities of climate. So we turned to its creator, Sean Birkel, Maine State Climatologist and Research Assistant Professor at the Climate Change Institute, University of Maine. Not Your Grandmother’s Dairy (Samantha van Gerbig/VPR) We’ve reported here on how nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen run off from farms into bodies of water — causing algae to bloom and fish to die from lack of oxygen. But these chemicals can also cause problems for humans when they leech into our drinking water. One such contaminant is nitrate — a nitrogen compound found in manure and fertilizer. Nitrate in drinking water can be fatal for babies who drink it and may be carcinogenic. When nitrate is found in public drinking water, federal law requires state regulators to notify residents. But in Vermont, 40 percent of residents have private drinking wells. And when farm runoff contaminates those wells with nitrate, the government body tasked with enforcement — in this case the Agency of Agriculture – says it can’t notify the community. Our guest, Vermont Public Radio investigative reporter Emily Corwin, uncovered inconsistent, often undocumented state response to nitrate contamination in private wells. It’s a complex issue, and we highly recommend reading Corwin’s report. John Laggis stands beside a new manure storage pit on his dairy farm in East Hardwick, Vermont. Though Laggis’ farm is in compliance with environmental regulations, his neighbors believe manure from the dairy is the source of nitrate contamination in their well. (Emily Corwin/VPR) Much of the hard work on Vermont’s dairy farms is done by migrant farmworkers — many of them undocumented. There’s been a new anxiety among those workers and the farmers who employ them, since sweeping changes to immigration policy made by President Trump a year ago. For the first time since 2010, arrests and detentions by the United States Border Patrol increased in Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeastern New York last year. VPR’s John Dillon went to a recent gathering of Mexican workers in Middlebury, to find out how life has changed in the first year of the Trump Administration. Be Safe Out There A student drives with an instructor during a one-day winter driving course at the Team O’Neil Rally School in Dalton, Nh. (Chris Jensen/NEXT) You’ve probably said it to yourself this winter: “It’s New England — why can’t anyone drive in the snow?” In Dalton, New Hampshire, racer Tim O’Neil converts his 600-acre rally driving school into a place where everyday drivers can learn to maneuver on snow and ice. Reporter Chris Jensen went for a ride. Composer Amy Beach was born in Henniker, New Hampshire in 1867. By the time she was 29 she was famous the world over for being the first American woman to write a symphony. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of her birth, the University of New Hampshire has been honoring Amy Beach with a series of special performances. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley recently visited the school to learn more about the composer and her music. Amy Beach     About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Karen Weintraub, Emily Corwin, John Dillon, Chris Jensen, Sean Hurley Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and winter driving tips to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a company leaves a company town? We talk to an ethnographer who charts the story of a New Hampshire paper mill that closed, leaving hard feelings and few jobs behind. We also track water quality in two New England Bays, and examine the source of some of our water pollution problems — the lightly regulated residential septic system. Finally, we visit a Boston laboratory for creating new beats. Dryers on the Number 3 paper machine at the now-demolished paper mill in Groveton, Nh. From a 1955 Vanity Fair sales catalog. (Courtesy GREAT) State of the Bays Bangs Island Mussels worker Jon Gorman sets juvenile mussells onto rope that will be their home for the next year as they grow to market size. (Fred Bever/ Maine Public) When it comes to water quality, there’s a lot that scientists have to monitor. Pollution, invasive species, and climate change are just a few of their concerns. And these problems are often linked together, so it can be hard to pinpoint the cause of unhealthy waterways. We go first to Maine’s Casco Bay, where a new threat to New England’s shellfish industry seems to be establishing itself more firmly. Regulators are trying to stay ahead of potentially deadly blooms of toxic algae — blooms that may be driven by climate change. An unprecedented bloom in Casco Bay recently forced regulators to close off a large area to shellfish harvesting. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. New Hampshire’s Great Bay. (Annie Ropeik/NHPR) “Did you ever know anybody who looked really good, like, physically you just look at him or her and say, ‘Wow, they’re in real shape,’ and then you find out they’re struggling with a tough health problem? That’s our bay. Look how beautiful it is, right? Doesn’t it look great? Under the surface, there’s some issues.” – Kalle Matso, Coastal Science Program Manager, University of New Hampshire New Hampshire’s Great Bay and its estuary have suffered from nitrogen loading and other problems for years. And the latest data doesn’t show much improvement. But scientists say there’s still hope for the watershed.  As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Annie Ropeik reports, they’re trying to hone in on things people can control. Septic system installation underway for a home on steep slopes. (Soil Science/Flickr) But New England is an especially difficult place to control the flow of nitrogen.  That’s because half of homes here rely on septic systems — the highest proportion in the country. For decades, most conventional septic systems have done well removing pollutants and pathogens. But they’re not very good at removing nitrogen, which is in human waste. And too much nitrogen can wreak havoc on coastal ecosystems. As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, recent research indicates even the best septic equipment won’t do the job, if it’s ignored. Post-Industrial In a recent episode, we shared a series of stories from NHPR about the surge in off-road vehicle recreation in New Hampshire’s woodsy North Country. State and local tourism officials there have made efforts to draw ATV riders to the area in hopes of boosting the economy — after the closure of paper mills that provided a livelihood for so many. Meanwhile, communities in northern Vermont and Maine are also trying to figure out an economic future without the paper industry. A new book, You Had a Job for Life: Story of a Company Town, chronicles the history of a mill that sustained the town of Groveton, New Hampshire through the 20th Century, and closed for good in 2007. The memories of the mill’s workers and managers drive the narrative. Author Jamie Sayen is a writer and environmentalist who calls the North Country home. We’re also joined by Joan Breault, who worked at the Groveton mill for 43 years. Sharing Skis and Beats Rory Gawler stands in a storage room of a Lebanon, Nh. house he bought in a foreclosure sale. Without electricity, he uses a flashlight to illuminate the hundreds of skis he found inside. (Britta Greene/NHPR) This weekend’s big snowstorm is good news for New England skiers. In New Hampshire, one man recently stumbled across an appropriately timed, ski-season mystery in the remains of an old, falling down house. NHPR’s Britta Greene went to investigate. (Plus, the Valley News covered the story’s ending.)  We finish off the episode with some sounds from Boston, where hip-hop producers are getting out of their bedroom studios, where they’ve got all the equipment to create their own beats — .but none of the community they need to make them better. From WBUR, Amelia Mason reports. Producers sit at Wonder Bar during October’s Stew Beat Showcase, a semi-monthly beats battle in Boston. (Courtesy Bryan Trench) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Annie Ropeik, Jill Kaufman, Britta Greene, Amelia Mason, and Evan Sobol Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and fresh beats to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a state owe to people serving time in prison? And what does it owe those who should never have been locked up in the first place? We speak with a man who went to prison in Massachusetts for 32 years for a crime he didn’t commit. And we travel back over 300 years to a war on New England soil where women leaders played a major role. Plus, elm trees make a comeback, and a New Hampshire bagpipe business bumps up against global trade rules. Released on bail after serving 32 years on a murder charge after doubts about his guilt surfaced, Darrell Jones speaks to the media in front of the Brockton, Mass. Superior Courthouse. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Behind Bars On December 21, Darrell Jones walked out of a courthouse in Brockton, Massachusetts, 32 years after being convicted for a murder he always maintained he didn’t commit. Jones – who is African American – was released based on suspicions that police tampered with video evidence, and allegations of racial bias among jurors. Standing on the courthouse steps, Jones made a plea for others like him. “I stayed in prison a long time, not just for something I did not do,” He told reporters. “But it was hard to get people to hear you, so I’m trying to get everybody here to understand one point: There is somebody else back at that jail that nobody is listening to that’s probably innocent, and been trying to fight like I’ve been trying to fight, and I’m just asking all the reporters and all the people that do this, to sometimes just give them a chance.” Now imagine yourself in that situation: walking out of court, your innocence finally proven. Would you expect the state to compensate you for your time behind bars? 37 states have some sort of law that allows the wrongfully convicted to file for compensation, including every New England state except Rhode Island. The dollar amount ranges widely from state to state. For example, Vermont awards exonerees between $30,000 and $60,000 for each year in prison, while New Hampshire caps the total lifetime award at $20,000. It can be difficult to get any money at all from the state. Advocates say that’s the case in Massachusetts, where a rewrite of the wrongful convictions compensation law is moving through the legislature. Victor Rosario, on Sept 8, with wife Beverly, following a hearing in which he was formerly exonerated. Photo by Debora Becker for WBUR In light of the news about Darrell Jones, we’ve decided to revisit our November conversation with Jenifer McKim and Victor Rosario. Jenifer McKim is a senior investigative reporter at the New England Center for Investigative Reporting, where she’s been covering wrongful convictions – including the Darrell Jones case – and the legislative push.  Rosario was convicted for starting a fatal apartment fire in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1982 – but his sentence was overturned  in 2014. A 2010 report from the New England Center for Investigative Reporting pointed to his innocence.  Rosario was formally exonerated on September 8, 2017.  Ordained while in prison, he now works as an outreach pastor at the Tremont Temple Baptist Church in Boston, where runs a program to help former prisoners readjust to society. Further reading: “Should state change compensation law for wrongfully convicted?” – recent reporting from the NECIR and WGBH about efforts to amend the Massachusetts law governing compensation for the wrongfully convicted “Reasonable Doubts” – NECIR investigation into the case of Darrell Jones, a  Massachusetts man who has spent 32 years in prison on a questionable murder charge “Wrongful incarceration. Moral debt?” – Jenifer McKim tells the story of Kevin O’Loughlin, a man falsley convicted for child rape, who is struggling to obtain compensation from Massachusetts Roger Brown’s prison diary mentions repeated trips to pick up medications that weren’t in stock. There have been rumors and allegations coming out of Vermont’s prison system for years about inmates requesting medical care, and not getting the help they needed. But getting the full story can be challenging: the inmates involved are behind bars, or dead, and officials are bound from giving their account by privacy rules. But Roger Brown, an inmate at a prison in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, kept a diary. Brown was one of more than 200 Vermont inmates sent to state prison in Pennsylvania due to a shortage of beds in Vermont. Taylor Dobbs reported this story for Vermont Public Radio. Revisiting King Philip’s War Here on NEXT, we’ve shared the stories of refugees from countries like Syria and Iraq- people who escaped war to start over in a peaceful New England. But during the early years of European colonization, New England was a war zone too – where colonists fought indigenous people over land, resources, and the rights to self-government. Native homelands of the Northeast, highlighting places mentioned in Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War. Courtesy Yale University Press King Philip’s War, fought from 1675 to 1678, was perhaps the most devastating of those conflicts for both sides. The Wampanoag leader Metacom, known by the the colonists as King Philip, organized attacks on 12 settlements before the colonists gained control of Southern New England. This meadow abutting the Connecticut River in Vernon, Vermont is illustrative of the fertile fields and floodplains that indigenous women used to plant crops in the 1600s. Photo courtesy Lisa Brooks. Since then, as it often happens, the colonial perspective has dominated the historical narrative. In her upcoming book Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War, historian Lisa Brooks flips the script, focusing on the stories of Native American leaders. Lisa Brooks is Associate Professor of English and American Studies at Amherst College. Our Beloved Kin is out from Yale University Press on January 9, 2018.  At the same time, Brooks will also be launching ourbelovedkin.com, a website with maps, historical documents, and images from her journeys through New England’s indigenous geography. Brooks will speak about the book at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston on February 7, and at Harvard on February 14.  Acorns, Elm Trees and Bagpipes It’s nearing the end of mating season for deer in our region, and deer hunting season wrapped up a few weeks ago. This time of year, a more likely encounter with a deer would be on the road, with a bad outcome for both you and the animal. New England states rank right around the national average for likelihood of a car strike, but the danger increases in rural areas during mating season. WNPR’s science reporter Patrick Skahill spoke with a biologist to find out more. And he uncovered an interesting connection between roadkills and acorns. An American elm tree in 2012 at Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. Photo via Wikimedia Commons No matter where you live in New England, you probably know of an Elm Street; but if you go there, you probably won’t find many surviving elm trees. In the mid 20th century  Dutch Elm disease killed off millions of the species. Towns and forests were notably changed. Decades later, new invasive pests and disease are attacking other species of trees. Watching this, ecologists have been engineering a comeback for the American elm, as New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. Richard Spaulding runs Gibson Bagpipes in Nashua, Nh. Photo by Todd Bookman for NHPR Newly made bagpipe parts await assembly inside Gibson’s Nashua factory. Photo by Todd Bookman for NHPR Think bagpipes, and you likely think Scotland. But one of the world’s largest bagpipe manufacturers happens to call Nashua, New Hampshire home. That company, however, recently faced an unexpected wrinkle in its international supply chain. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Todd Bookman reports. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Taylor Dobbs, Patrick Skahill, Jill Kaufman, Todd Bookman, Bruce Gellerman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, bagpipe music by Eric Bean Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and bagpipe music recommendations to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigrants from Central America will soon find out if their Temporary Protected Status will end. It’s allowed them to live here legally for decades. This episode, we take a look back at a big year in immigration policy, and look ahead. We also consider what some states are doing about widespread waste of prescription drugs. Also, we’ll meet a man who’s got a place to call home for the first time in decades – thanks to an effort to eliminate chronic homelessness. And, Oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your tiny…little…branches. Francisco Rodriguez in ICE custody at the Suffolk County House of Corrections (Jesse Costa/WBUR) Immigration, Deportation As we look back on 2017, the issue of immigration has become one of the most contentious in our region. New policies by the Trump administration have New Englanders from all over the world wondering about their status, and whether they’ll be able to stay. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling joins us to talk about her reporting, including the story of Francisco Rodriguez. He’s a native of El Salvador who entered the country illegally in 2006 – but he’s been living in Chelsea, Massachusetts with federal authorization for several years.  This year he was put in detention as the government tried to deport him. Rodriguez’s lawyers say his removal is now stayed while an appeal to re-open his asylum case plays out. Natives of Honduras with temporary protected status will find out soon about whether they’ll be allowed to stay in the U.S. – or face possible deportation. Hundreds of Honduran immigrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts are waiting for word. Meanwhile, as WNPR’s Diane Orson reports, violent protests continue in Honduras following a contested presidential election, and the state department has advised Americans not to travel there. Unused medical supplies sit in storage at a Partners for World Health facility in Portland, Maine. (Tristan Spinski, special to ProPublica ) Drug costs are an issue for millions of Americans – both in their personal lives, and in the amount of money government spends on drugs for elderly Americans through Medicare. But, as ProPublica’s Marshall Allen found out, there’s a big problem with drug waste in America’s nursing homes. Now – prompted by his reporting – some states, including New Hampshire and Vermont, are taking steps to salvage medications that are literally being flushed down the toilet. Ending Homelessness Advocates for the homeless across New England have made it a goal to end chronic homelessness for good. It’s a tall order, especially in a big city like Boston – where officials have said they want to end it by this time next year. Every night, about 1500 people sleep in Boston’s emergency homeless shelters. Many others sleep on the streets. About 30 percent of them are considered chronically homeless. The city is trying to tackle the problem one person at a time. WBUR’s Lynn Jolicoeur introduces us to one man, Lenny Higgenbottom, who was recently housed through those efforts. Higginbottom unpacks in his new apartment. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)  Oh Christmas Tree The pine tree is an icon of New England. It’s on our flag, after all. And this time of year, they’re big business. But, as we’ll hear – pine trees aren’t all alike. Patrick Skahill takes us on a search for the increasingly uncommon “pitch pine.” Dana Graves, co-owner of G&S Christmas Tree Farm, supplies Sprague’s Nursery in Bangor with a range of tree sizes, but he says it’s rare these days for people ask for a tree that reaches the ceiling. Photo by Jennifer Mitchell/Maine Public A much more common pine this time of year can be found at the roadside Christmas tree stand – all perfectly sized to scrape your living room ceiling. Jennifer Mitchell reports from Maine Public Radio, growers are seeing a new trend: the tiny tree. A musical group playing traditional Puerto Rican bomba music performs at a parranda in Hartford, Conn. In Puerto Rico, Christmas is a really big deal. But, for the thousands who’ve been forced to leave the island after Hurricane Maria, that means celebrating Christmas in an unfamiliar place.  WNPR’s Ryan Caron King has this story of how the Puerto Rican community in Hartford, Connecticut welcomed new arrivals with a holiday tradition to remind them of home. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Diane Orson, Marshall Allen, Lynn Jolicoeur, Patrick Skahill, Jennifer Mitchell, Ryan Caron King Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and holiday wishes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a local sheriff in northern Vermont pulled over two Mexican farmworkers last August for a traffic violation, he immediately called for the U.S. Border Patrol. Immigrant rights advocates say more detentions and deportations are likely under a new Vermont policy that governs cooperation between state and federal law enforcement. And north of the border, a fascinating story of land disputes, Quebecois pride, and massive dams that are set to supply more power to the New England grid. Plus, a tale of survival on the high seas. NHPR reporter Sam Evans-Brown (left) tours the Daniel-Johnson Dam on the Manicouagan River in Central Quebec. The mile-long dam is one of 62 owned by the provincial utility Hydro-Quebec. New England currently gets about 10 percent of its electricity from Hydro-Quebec dams. Utilities in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are hoping to build transmission projects to bring down more of this power to the New England grid. Photo by Hannah McCarthy for NHPR Stops Last August and September, the U.S. Border Patrol set up checkpoints on the southbound lanes of I-93 near Woodstock, NH. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection The United States Border Patrol’s jurisdiction extends 100 miles from any border, and we’ve been covering interactions between local police, federal border officials, and immigrant communities in the area south of the border between Quebec and New England. During multi-day checkpoints in August, and then again in September, Border Patrol agents, in collaboration with local and State Police, stopped vehicles on I-93 near Woodstock, New Hampshire, about 75 miles as the crow flies from the Canadian border. Along with the detention of more than two-dozen undocumented immigrants, Border Patrol and local law enforcement also made arrests for drug charges. But this week, the ACLU of New Hampshire is challenging those checkpoints, saying the stops violated the state’s constitution. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Todd Bookman reports. When a sheriff in northern Vermont  pulled over two Mexican farmworkers last August for a traffic violation, he immediately called for Border Patrol. Now, the two men will soon be deported. And immigrant rights advocates say more detentions and deportations are likely under a new Vermont policy that governs cooperation between state and federal law enforcement. Fueling the debate is body cam video of the August traffic stop, as Vermont Public Radio’s John Dillon reports. Catherine Violet Hubbard in a school picture, left, and a welcome tent on the grounds of the future animal sanctuary being built in her honor in Newtown, Conn. Courtesy of Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary This week marks five years since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Catherine Violet Hubbard was one of 20 children killed, along with six educators. Her family has spent the past three years planning an animal sanctuary in her memory. WSHU’s Davis Dunavin visited the land in Newtown that will serve as the grounds for the sanctuary. The Power Up North Hydro-Quebec’s Daniel-Johnson Dam and Manicoucagan Reservoir seen from a helicopter. Photo by Hannah McCarthy for NHPR Imagine a massive dam cutting a line a mile long across a pristine pine forest, 900 miles north of the Canadian border. Then picture yourself coming home and switching the lights on after a long winter day. A map provided by Hydro-Quebec shows existing dams, transmission lines, and projects under construction. These two things are, increasingly, connected. First, there’s a vast network of hydroelectric dams, all part of Hydro-Quebec, the electric company owned by the province. Hydro-Quebec has powered Quebec for decades, and it has plenty of electricity left over to sell outside the province. The big utility already supplies about ten percent of the power used by the New England grid. Electric companies in northern New England are competing to build new transmission projects — which would result in our region getting about 17 percent of its power from Quebec’s dams. The most well known of these proposals is the Northern Pass, a hotly debated transmission line that would cut north to south across much of New Hampshire. A famous 1962 campaign poster of the Quebec Liberal Party reads “NOW OR NEVER!” “MASTERS IN OUR OWN HOME.” The results of the election enabled the government to nationalize the province’s hydroelectric dams. Part of what’s up for debate is whether hydroelectric power can be considered a renewable resource. While damming rivers impacts local ecosystems, carbon emissions from these dams are quite low — all together, they actually give off less carbon than solar power. And in a region where energy costs are high, Canadian hydro is appealingly inexpensive. But north of the border, hydroelectric power tells another story. It’s a story of a struggle over economic power, ancestral lands, and cultural pride that cuts deep in Quebec — and it’s totally fascinating. Reporters Sam Evans-Brown and Hannah McCarthy traveled up north to bring that story back. They co-host Powerline, a new series all about Hydro-Quebec from the podcast Outside/In. (There’s a trove of visuals for the series on the Outside/In website – it’s not to be missed!) The One That Came Back Howard Blackburn. Courtesy Cape Ann Museum Before you could get farmed salmon at every grocery store in America, all of our fish had to be caught in the wild. For thousands of men drawn to Gloucester, Massachusetts to work in the fishing industry, that meant long and dangerous journeys into the North Atlantic. It’s still a very dangerous job, but imagine what it was like more than 100 years ago. Every year, hundreds of fishermen were lost at sea. Howard Blackburn should have been one of those statistics. But instead, he became a hero. Independent producer Matt Frassica has Blackburn’s story. It comes to us from The Briny, a new podcast about our relationship with the sea.     About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Todd Bookman, John Dillon, Davis Dunavin, Sam Evans-Brown, Hannah McCarthy, and Matt Frassica Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Freezing” by David Szesztay, “Celadon” by Podington Bear, “In My Head” by Podington Bear, “Sad Cyclops” by Podington Bear, “Skeptic” by Podington Bear Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and holiday wishes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we get an update the flow of migrants leaving the US to go to Quebec, and meet Puerto Ricans deciding whether to stay on the island or come back to New England. We’ll talk about housing for a rapidly aging population in Vermont, and learn how a the settlement dollars from a Volkswagen lawsuit could help spur electric vehicle use in Maine. Finally, we get a taste of what’s new about New England food. Flight Fearing the Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies, thousands have been fleeing the United States for Canada. One policy change is the end of a temporary residency program for 59,000 Haitians allowed to legally enter the United States following an earthquake in 2010. The Haitians will have to leave the country by July 2019, or face deportation. That program has also ended for two thousand Nicaraguans. It’s unclear if other groups including 300,000 Salvadorans will be allowed to remain. A man from Congo speaks with Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers after illegally entering Canada. The man from Congo was then frisked before being processed in the white trailer. Photo by Lorne Matalon for VPR The net result is a continued flow of people crossing the border into Canada by foot. They take advantage of a Canadian law that says those who cross by foot won’t be turned back until their case is heard. Reporter Lorne Matalon takes us back to the site of earlier reporting: the illegal boarder crossing at Roxham Road north of Champlain, New York. Puerto Ricans have been facing similar questions about whether to relocate following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Of course, Puerto Ricans who choose to leave the island to come to New England aren’t immigrants, they’re US citizens. WNPR’s Jeff Cohen reports on the lack of power and water across much of the island is causing a growing number of people to make hard choices. A Few Years Down the Road… Jan Belville decided to sell her large house in Brandon, Vt. to move into a senior affordable apartment. Bellville was on a a waiting list for almost five years. Photo by Howard Weiss-Tisman for VPR In the 18 years after World War II, birth rates across America hit unprecedented levels. Demographers named that sizable generation the Baby Boom. Today’s baby boomers make up about 25 percent of the United States population. As boomers head into retirement they’re rewriting the expectations we have about where and how senior citizens want to live. As we’ve reported previously, New England’s population is older than most of the country. Given that Vermont is expected to have the oldest population in the nation by 2030, many baby boomers there are facing tough decisions about housing. Vermont Public Radio’s Howard Weiss-Tisman reports. For more, check out “Aging Well,” a special VPR series exploring how the Baby Boom generation is viewing retirement and changing the future makeup of Vermont. ReVision Energy’s Barry Woods charges up his company car in Brunswick, Maine. Photo by Fred Bever for Maine Public Electric vehicles make up a fraction of the cars sold in New England. But new state policies – and a cash infusion from the settlement of Volkswagen’s pollution scandal – could speed the build-out of electric vehicle charging stations, and jump-start the region’s EV market. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. The Best Food in New England “Local” has become the most important word in the world of New England food. “Local” grass-fed beef, locally-made sheep’s milk cheese, or restaurants that proudly list the names of local farmers that grow their food are all a growing part of this movement. Amy Traverso is senior food editor for Yankee Magazine and NewEngland.com, and she’s been watching these trends. She’s an expert in New England food, and an advocate for it. She says chefs and food producers are challenging the notion that New England’s traditional foods are stodgy and boring. Think dishes like lobster on black rice with brown butter aioli, or baked beans with pomegranate molasses. Traverso is also in charge of giving out Yankee Magazine’s annual Editor’s Choice Food Awards – now five years in the running. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Lorne Matalon, Jeff Cohen, Patrick Skahill, Howard Weiss-Tisman, Fred Bever Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and artisanal chocolate bars to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a state owe to people serving time in prison? And what does it owe those who should never have been locked up in the first place? We speak with a man who went to prison in Massachusetts for 32 years for a crime he didn’t commit. And we travel back over 300 years to a war on New England soil where women leaders played a major role. Plus, elm trees make a comeback, and a New Hampshire bagpipe business bumps up against global trade rules. Victor Rosario, right, with wife Beverly on Sept. 8, following a hearing in which he was formerly exonerated. Rosario spend 32 years in a Massachusetts prison after being convicted for homicide and arson. Photo by Deborah Becker for WBUR. Behind Bars Imagine that you’ve been convicted and locked up for a crime you didn’t commit. After years appealing your case, you finally prove your innocence and are set free. Would you expect the government to compensate you for that time behind bars? 37 states have laws that allow the wrongfully convicted to file for compensation, including every New England state except Rhode Island. The amount of that compensation ranges widely from state to state. For example, Vermont awards exonerees between $30,000 and $60,000 for each year in prison, while New Hampshire caps the total lifetime award at $20,000. And it can be difficult to get any money at all from the state. Advocates say that’s the case in Massachusetts, where they’re pushing for a rewrite of the state’s wrongful conviction compensation law. Our guest Jenifer McKim is a senior investigative reporter at the New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR), where she’s been covering wrongful convictions and the legislative push. We’re also joined by Victor Rosario, an outreach pastor at the Tremont Temple Baptist Church in Boston, where runs a program to help former prisoners readjust to society. Rosario was convicted for starting a fatal apartment fire in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1982 – but his sentence was overturned  in 2014. A 2010 report from the New England Center for Investigative Reporting pointed to his innocence.  Rosario was formally exonerated on September 8, 2017.  Further reading: “Should state change compensation law for wrongfully convicted?” – recent reporting from the NECIR and WGBH about efforts to amend the Massachusetts law governing compensation for the wrongfully convicted “Reasonable Doubts” – NECIR investigation into the case of Darrell Jones, a  Massachusetts man who has spent 32 years in prison on a questionable murder charge “Wrongful incarceration. Moral debt?” – Jenifer McKim tells the story of Kevin O’Loughlin, a man falsley convicted for child rape, who is struggling to obtain compensation from Massachusetts Roger Brown’s prison diary mentions repeated trips to pick up medications that weren’t in stock. There have been rumors and allegations coming out of Vermont’s prison system for years about inmates requesting medical care, and not getting the help they needed. But getting the full story can be challenging: the inmates involved are behind bars, or dead, and officials are bound from giving their account by privacy rules. But Roger Brown, an inmate at a prison in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, kept a diary. Brown was one of more than 200 Vermont inmates sent to state prison in Pennsylvania due to a shortage of beds in Vermont. Taylor Dobbs reported this story for Vermont Public Radio. Revisiting King Philip’s War Here on NEXT, we’ve shared the stories of refugees from countries like Syria and Iraq- people who escaped war to start over in a peaceful New England. But during the early years of European colonization, New England was a war zone too – where colonists fought indigenous people over land, resources, and the rights to self-government. Native homelands of the Northeast, highlighting places mentioned in Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War. Courtesy Yale University Press King Philip’s War, fought from 1675 to 1678, was perhaps the most devastating of those conflicts for both sides. The Wampanoag leader Metacom, known by the the colonists as King Philip, organized attacks on 12 settlements before the colonists gained control of Southern New England. Native and colonial settlements it what is now Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts at the time of King Philip’s War. Courtesy Yale University Press Since then, as it often happens, the colonial perspective has dominated the historical narrative. In her upcoming book Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War, historian Lisa Brooks flips the script, focusing on the stories of Native American leaders. Lisa Brooks is Associate Professor of English and American Studies at Amherst College. Our Beloved Kin is out from Yale University Press on January 9, 2018.  At the same time, Brooks will also be launching ourbelovedkin.com, a website with maps, historical documents, and images from her journeys through New England’s indigenous geography. Acorns, Elm Trees and Bagpipes It’s peak mating time for deer in our region. And, depending on the state, it’s also deer hunting season. If you’re not a hunter this time of year, a more likely encounter with a deer would be on the road, with a bad outcome for both you and the animal. New England states rank right around the national average for likelihood of a car strike, but the danger increases in rural areas during mating season. WNPR’s science reporter Patrick Skahill spoke with a biologist to find out more. And he uncovered an interesting connection… between roadkills and acorns. In the mid 20th century  Dutch Elm disease killed off millions of the species. Towns and forests were notably changed. Decades later, new invasive pests and disease are attacking other species of trees. Watching this, ecologists have been engineering a comeback for the American elm, as New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. Richard Spaulding runs Gibson Bagpipes in Nashua, Nh. Photo by Todd Bookman for NHPR Newly made bagpipe parts await assembly inside Gibson’s Nashua factory. Photo by Todd Bookman for NHPR Think bagpipes, and you likely think Scotland. But one of the world’s largest bagpipe manufacturers happens to call Nashua, New Hampshire home. That company, however, is facing an unexpected wrinkle in its international supply chain. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Todd Bookman reports. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Taylor Dobbs, Patrick Skahill, Jill Kaufman, Todd Bookman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, bagpipe music by Eric Bean Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and acorns to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Thanksgiving week, we’re presenting a few favorite segments from our archives. We dig into our energy series “The Big Switch” with stories about solar power on homes and farms, and profile a new large-scale passive housing movement. And singer-songwriter Dar Williams tells us what she’s learned about making a vibrant community while writing a new book. Plus, the craft beer industry is exploding in New England, but another time-honored trade is in danger of disappearing. A pedestrian street in the Old Port in Portland, Maine, a neighborhood popular with tourists. Musician and author Dar Williams says towns thrive when they achieve a balance between places of interest to visitors and those of interest to residents. Photo by PhilipC via Flickr Building More, to Burn Less New England is at a time of big change in the way we get our energy. Aggressive goals to cut carbon emissions have meant a move toward more renewable sources of power. But the shift from burning fossil fuels to harvesting sun and wind power comes with challenges in a region where it’s not always easy to find space for big energy projects. The New England News Collaborative is covering these changes in a project we call The Big Switch. Randolph-based Catamount Solar is installing an 8.7 kilowatt system in a homeowner’s yard in East Montpelier, Vermont. Kestrel Marcel is connecting the optimizers, which are a converter technology that helps maximize the energy harvested from the panels. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR Farmer Kevin Sullivan rents a portion of his Suffield, Connecticut farmland to a solar company. “The money that comes off that acreage exceeds anything else I could do out there,” he says. Photo by Patrick Skahill for WNPR Vermont has been leading the way on solar energy for years. It’s got a small population, but big goals for renewable energy. That’s meant more competition in the solar installation field — with big national companies coming in to fight local companies for customers. As VPR’s Kathleen Masterson reports, that competition comes at a tricky time. While Vermont has been pushing more residential solar, other states see the promise of solar panels helping to preserve dwindling farmland. As WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports, solar energy is providing many farmers – particularly in southern New England – with new opportunities, and questions. Bayside Anchor is an affordable passive housing development in Portland, Maine. Photo by Fred Bever for Maine Public And there’s innovation on the other side of the power equation, too. A new type of energy-efficient construction is drawing attention in the U.S.  So-called “passive housing” residences are built to achieve ultra-low energy use. In fact, passive housing is so efficient that developers can eliminate central heating systems altogether. Imported from Germany, it’s been a boutique building style until recently, with eco-minded home owners making costly upfront investments to downsize their carbon footprints. But now, New England is joining a surge in large-scale passive housing development. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. Fred Gordon opens a panel in the wall of his unit at the Distillery North Apartments in Boston to show the heat recovery ventilator. It provides fresh air, transferring 95 percent of the heat collected from the apartment and recirculating it with cold air from outside. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR. Building a Better Place to Call Home Have you ever revisited a town you hadn’t seen in years and thought “This place has really changed!”? Suddenly, there’s a new row of restaurants; or a boarded-up mill building has come back to life. Maybe you’ve witnessed the opposite: a hollowed-out shell of a once-busy main street. As a touring musician, singer-songwriter Dar Williams has a front seat to the changes happening in American towns large and small. Her new book is What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician’s Guide to Rebuilding America’s Communities – One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, & Open-Mike Night at a Time. In her writing, Williams theorizes about why some towns thrive, and others can’t seem to get out of their post-industrial slump. The book is peppered with references to New England towns, and Williams has personal history here. She lived and worked in Boston, and Western Massachusetts, and spent her undergrad years at Wesleyan University  in Middletown, Connecticut in the 1980s.  All About Craft Selection of beers on tap at Grey Sail Brewing, Westerly, RI. Photo by Tom Verde for NENC. The craft beer industry in New England has plenty to raise a glass to. Craft beer is growing faster here than anywhere in the country. But is growing too fast? Is it possible to have too much craft beer? Tom Verde went to find out. In the mid-1800s, New England was a global center for the clockmaking industry. Today, the region is filled with antique, often centuries-old clocks — in church steeples, libraries, courthouses, and homes. That industry, of course, is long gone. And slowly, the people who preserve its artifacts are disappearing, too. Dan Richards reports. Master clockmaker James Roberts examines a churchtower clock in Redding, Mass. The timepiece in the center connects to four transparent glass dials, one on each wall. View of the clocktower room from above. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT. David Roberts with a clock face and dial that he and his brother James restored. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT.               About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Patrick Skahill, Fred Bever, Tom Verde, and Dan Richards Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and raves about your favorite brewery to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re talking ballot questions. Why are more of them showing up in voting booths in states like Maine and Massachusetts, and how much power do elected officials have to tinker with citizen-passed laws? Plus, a Puerto Rican family is reunited in Holyoke, Mass., and a Vermont veteran with PTSD finds a way to heal, through farming. Listen to the end, and we’ll take you to the most peaceful place in the universe. Marijuana plants are harvested and hung in a processing facility in Franklin, Mass. Currently only medical cannabis sales are legal in Massachusetts. A referendum passed in 2016 set the date for legal recreational sales to begin at January 1, 2018. But a law passed this summer by the state legislature pushed the date to July 1, 2018. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Power to the People? Mainer Kathleen Phelps speaks in favor of expanding Medicaid at a news conference in Portland. Me. on Oct. 13, 2016. Photo by Patti Wight for Maine Public Maine voters earlier this month approved a ballot measure that would expand the Medicaid program, making it available to more than 70,000 Mainers. But Governor Paul LePage — who used his veto power to block past legislative attempts to expand Medicaid — has said he won’t implement Medicaid expansion until the statehouse appropriates funds to pay for the state’s share of the program. Last year, Maine and Massachusetts voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana through a referendum — but in both states, lawmakers have altered the legislation, raising taxes and pushing back the start date for legal weed sales. Looking forward to 2018, Boston public radio station WBUR recently polled Massachusetts residents on three questions proposed for next year’s election. Respondents showed overwhelming support for initiatives to institute paid family leave, raise taxes on millionaires, and lower the sales tax. All this left us thinking: how powerful are ballot questions when the will of the people is later overhauled by their legislators? And why are they showing up  more frequently in states like Maine and Massachusetts in recent years? Joining us to help answer those questions are Steve Mistler, chief political corespondent for Maine Public Radio, and Colin A. Young, Massachusetts statehouse reporter for the Statehouse News Service. Trying to Find Stability Kristin, an active drug user, finds a syringe and a mirror from the tent she once lived in that other drug users took over. She says methamphetamine users use the mirror as an aid to inject themselves in their neck. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR According to Massachusetts Department of Health data, homeless individuals who use heroin or fentanyl experience an overdose-related death rate 30 times higher than people with stable housing. The finding is no surprise to drug users who live on the streets or in the woods, as WBUR’s Martha Bebinger discovered on a visit to an urban tent community in Greater Boston. Solimari Alicea hands baby Yedriel to German Santini to hold. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR WBUR reporter Simón Rios has been charting the influx of Puerto Ricans into Massachusetts since Hurricane Maria left much of the island without power, water, or infrastructure. He went to Holyoke, and introduces us to two young parents who are trying to get their feet on the ground. Next we travel a bit further west on the Mass. Pike to the bucolic Berkshires. Those hills are alive with art — museums, galleries, theater and dance companies, and the summer home of the Boston Pops, Tanglewood. “La Fete,” by Raoul Dufy, is one of the works slated for sale by the Berkshire Museum. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s But the arts community has been in turmoil over a plan by the Berkshire Museum to sell off some of its artwork — including two Norman Rockwell paintings — to fund an expansion. The plan angered many in the art world, and got the attention of the state’s Attorney General, who’s working to stop the sale. Our guest Adam Frenier, Berkshire County reporter for New England Public Radio, has been following the story closely. Finally at Peace Pigs grub for food on a veteran-owned farm in Norwich, Vt. Photo by Peter Hirschfeld for VPR Nearly 4,000 Vermont veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, and many are still dealing with the invisible wounds of the nation’s longest-running war. Some of them, however, have begun to find healing through farming. Vermont Public Radio’s Peter Hirschfeld brings us the story of Brett, an army vet who says learning to raise livestock saved his life. Read and listen to more stories of veterans-turned-farmers in Vermont. Life on a farm may sound peaceful enough to you. But New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley says he’s found the most peaceful place in the universe. It’s a spot he calls Moose Painting Pond. Sean Hurley looks out over “Moose Painting Pond.” Photo by Sean Hurley for NHPR Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Martha Bebinger, Simón Rios, Peter Hirschfeld, Sean Hurley Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Hotline Bling” by Drake, “Unsquare Dance” by David Brubeck, “Shameless” by Ani DiFranco Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and sound recordings of the most peaceful place in your personal universe to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve got lots for you this week. Fishermen clash with offshore wind developers, once-depleted bluefin tuna experience a resurgence, and 3D printing helps bring manufacturing back to Massachusetts. Meanwhile, off-road vehicles bring money and grumbles to White Mountain towns. Plus, the fascinating story of when “Live Free or Die” bumped heads with the First Amendment — and why it could prove relevant in an upcoming Supreme Court case.  Last, an appreciation of the sticky sweet snack of many a New England childhood. ATVs have become a frequent sight in New Hampshire’s Coos county. Photo by Chris Jensen for NHPR Up and Down the Coast The bluefin tuna can reach lengths of almost 10 feet. They can swim from the Bahamas to Norway in 54 days. Photo credit: NOAA Fishermen say it’s been decades since they’ve been able to catch so many Atlantic bluefin tuna so fast. Once severely depleted, populations of the prized sushi fish appear to be rebuilding. Now the industry and some scientists say the international commission that regulates the fishery can allow a much bigger catch. But some conservation groups disagree. From Portland, Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. Crew members sort through scallops and discard bycatch on a fishing boat in the Atlantic 14 miles from Long Island’s Montauk Point. Photo by Jon Kalish for NENC On the easternmost tip of Long Island, Montauk is the largest commercial fishing port in New York State. The nation’s first offshore wind farm is only a few miles away, off of Block Island, and many more such wind farms are in the works along the eastern seaboard. These plans have Montauk fisherman worried about the impact on their livelihoods. Independent producer Jon Kalish reports. Mike Twombly uses a sophisticated tool to precisely measure the diameter of a part that has been recently fabricated at Custom Machine Group in Woburn, Mass. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Alexander Gomenik, Professor of Engineering at Indiana University plays a plastic fiddle produced from a 3D printer at the Digital Factory Conference at the MIT Media Lab . (Photo by Bruce Gellerman for WBUR) You don’t often see the label “Made in Massachusetts,” but manufacturing plays an outsized role in the economy of the Bay State. WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman takes us to factories on the front line of a new industrial revolution. It’s one that promises to transform how things are made, and the roles of workers. Read and listen to more from WBUR’s Future of Work series.     Living Free Three year-old Everly Lavertu enjoys riding ATV trails with her parents. But leading health and safety groups say young children should not be riding in ATVs. Photo by Casey McDermott for NHPR These days in New Hampshire’s North Country, it’s not unusual to see caravans of all-terrain vehicles — or ATVs — all over. This region of the state has long been defined by the loss of its paper mill industry and high unemployment rate. But the surge in ATVs may be changing the North Country’s image. While some see promise in this growing group of tourists, others worry that the region might be losing something else along the way. Others raise safety concerns. Reporters Casey McDermott and Todd Bookman looked into the  ATV phenomenon in a three-part series for New Hampshire Public Radio. Casey McDermott joins us to talk about what they learned. Below: take a virtual ride on an ATV trail in New Hampshire’s Jericho Mountain State Park. The adventurous off-road spirit is certainly in step with New Hampshire’s celebrated motto: “Live Free or Die.” Image via Plateshack.com The slogan, taken from a 1809 toast given by Granite State Revolutionary War general John Stark, has been a part of the New Hampshire license plate since 1971. But not long after it became standard, a man made the case that the requirement to display the motto on his car violated his freedoms. And his case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Next month, the court will hear arguments in a controversial free speech case out of Colorado, where a baker refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The baker’s attorneys say they’re resting their arguments on a precedent set during the decades-old legal battle over “Live Free or Die.” NHPR’s Lauren Chooljian  tells the story of one determined New Hampshire couple, and how their battle with state’s famous motto continues to have an impact. Creepy and Sweet Left: A daguerreotype portrait of brain-injury survivor Phineas P. Gage, holding the tamping iron which injured him. Right: Gage’s skull on display at Harvard Medical School. Photos courtst of Jack and Beverly Wilgus/Wikimedia Commons A grisly construction accident in New England in 1848 left railroad worker Phineas Gage with severe brain damage — but gave scientists valuable clues about how the brain functions. Gage survived the metal spike that went clear through his head, and has since become an icon of both science and pop culture. His skull is on display at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. WSHU’s Davis Dunavin brings us the story from his new podcast Off the Path from New York to Boston. Festival founder Mimi Graney sells copies of her book “What the Fluff: The Sticky Sweet Story of an American Icon” Autumn in New England is festival season. You can find fairs celebrating chrysanthemums, pumpkins, cranberries, or oysters. But the “What the Fluff” Festival in Somerville, Massachusetts is unique. Freelance reporter Carol Vassar paid a visit this year, and brings us an appreciation of a signature New England confection: Marshmallow Fluff. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, John Kalish, Bruce Gellerman, Casey McDermott, Todd Bookman, Lauren Chooljian, David Dunavin, Carol Vassar Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and photos of your own medical anomalies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England is recovering this week after a big storm knocked out power for days in some places. How do we keep the power on today, and make our communities more resilient in the long term? We also ruminate lyrically on fickle New England weather with writer Will Dowd. A story from Texas puts the idea of “sanctuary hospitals” in the spotlight. How are New England’s hospitals responding? And, our friends from Brave Little State separate myth from fact when it comes to the Underground Railroad in Vermont. Workers in Stowe, Vermont tend to damage from a fallen tree Tuesday. Photo by Amy Kolb Noyes for VPR Hard Rains In late October, 2011 there were still multi-colored leaves clinging to New England’s trees when a freak Nor’easter hit, dumping record snow, snapping trees, and cutting off power to millions. One year later, Super Storm Sandy battered the shoreline and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. And then this week, a prolonged rainstorm, with winds up to 70 miles an hour, knocked out power for days in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, with more than 400,000 outages in Maine. Damage to Route 302 in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire. Photo by Chris Jensen Our first guest is David Littell, principal with the Regulatory Assistance Project, based in Montpelier, Vermont, and a former commissioner with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Littell has been looking at the response from utility companies. With climate change bringing more frequent, bigger storms to our region, how do we plan for these new weather realities? We’re joined by Alexander Felson, an urban ecologist, architect and assistant professor at Yale University; and David Kooris, Director of the National Disaster Resilience program for the State of Connecticut. Shelter from the Storm For immigrants in the country illegally, the fear of running into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents has made some public places appear threatening. In the current environment, that can include a visit to the emergency room. A recent opinion piece in the Journal of the American Medical Association called for the establishment of so-called ‘sanctuary hospital’ policies. But some New England health care providers say they only have so much power. WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling has our story. In Brandon, Vt., the 1853 Marsh House mansion is rumored to have had a tunnel entrance in its basement. The owner of the house, Rodney Marsh, was a high-profile abolitionist in Vermont, but there’s no hard evidence of Underground Railroad activity at this site. Photo by Angela Evancie for VPR Historian Ray Zirbllis conducted an exhaustive study of Underground Railroad activity in Vermont. He found hard evidence of activity at the 25 sites marked on this map. Courtesy Vermont Division for Historic Preservation The idea of providing “sanctuary” is part of the New England mindset. Yankees are proud of New Englanders’ participation in the Underground Railroad, providing aid and shelter to runaway slaves en route to Canada. But like a lot of history we think we know, there are parts of the story that turn out to be a bit more complicated. Vermonter Carlie Krolick wanted to know more, so she asked Vermont Public radio’s people-powered podcast Brave Little State.  “Was there an Underground Railroad in Vermont? What do we know about the existence of a system to help slaves escape toward Canada? And were escaped slaves able to settle and live here openly?” – Carlie Krolick, Charlotte, Vt. Host Angela Evancie went in search of answers. Weather We Like it or Not The nights were cold this week, and so were the days; the sun, when it appeared, flashed like a coin at the bottom of a well, and the rain fell whenever it felt like it. It was really and truly November, though I couldn’t quite accept it. Those lines open the essay “Paper Allegories” in a new collection of essays by Boston area writer William Dowd, entitled Areas of Fog. Dowd wrote the collection over the course of a year in the tradition of Thoreau’s . Each essay opens with a weather report. Many pay homage to great New England writers like Thoreau, Frost, and Dickinson – writers who helped shape our spiritual understanding of a region where the weather can feel like the work of a fickle god.Walden Areas of Fog is out on November 14 from Etruscan Press. Will Dowd will be reading and signing books at the Thayer Public Library in Braintree, Mass., on November 30, and at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Mass. on Dec 7. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling and Angela Evancie Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon. Music for Brave Little State by Blue Dot Sessions and Podington Bear Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and complaints about the weather to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we talk Amazon HQ2: whether Boston has a good shot at becoming the home of the corporation’s second headquarters, and why New Hampshire slings so much dirt at Beantown in its bid. We’ll also get an update on how Puerto Ricans with Connecticut connections are coping with hurricane recovery on the island. Plus, we’ll learn how Massachusetts volunteers help keep wild sea turtles alive when the seas turn cold. And in time for Halloween, we visit a haunted tavern to hear tales from New England’s spookiest places. A rendering of the primary site Boston is proposing in its bid for Amazon to create its second headquarters in the city. The site straddles Boston and Revere (Courtesy City of Boston) From Over the Sea We’ve been tracking the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. The island is about four hours away by plane from Hartford and Boston. Yet in many ways, it’s the island next door for New England’s more than 600,000 Puerto Rican residents. Below: Boston community organizer and former Hartford City Councilman Luis Cotto has been distributing water filters and solar lamps in Puerto Rico. Video by Ryan Caron King. We speak with WNPR news director Jeff Cohen, who returned this week from a reporting trip to the island. He met with Connecticut residents who were providing supplies, fresh water,  and hope — and in some cases, bringing people back to New England to escape tough conditions. Explore Puerto Rico coverage by Jeff Cohen and Ryan Caron King. Below: volunteers from Connecticut and Puerto Rico bring water purification systems to remote towns. Video by Ryan Caron King. Menhaden, also called bunker, spill across the deck of a boat in Long Island Sound. This vital fish is now the subject of a new fisheries management decision. Photo by Patrick Skahill for WNPR Oily and smelly, Atlantic menhaden are one of the least sexy fish imaginable. But this humble fish, also called “bunker” or “pogie,” has deep roots off the coast of New England. It’s believed Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to fertilize their crops with the fish. And for decades, millions of tons of menhaden were pulled out of the ocean. Now, there’s a movement to preserve this vital species, not just for the fishermen who catch it, but for animals that eat it. WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports. Menhaden may suffer from not being very loveable, but there’s another creature in our waters that everyone loves: the sea turtle. And for sea turtles in New England, fall is a dangerous time. Rhode Island Public Radio’s environmental reporter Avory Brookins went to the New England Aquarium’s Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts to find out why hundreds of sea turtles end up there once ocean temperatures drop. It’s a Jungle Out There A screengrab from the front page of New Hampshire’s Amazon proposal. The state is proposing the site of a former orchard in Londonderry, a Manchester suburb. October 19th was the deadline for states and cities to submit their bids to online giant Amazon. The company says it’s received 238 proposals from places hoping to become home to its second North American headquarters, or HQ2. Amazon promises to employ up to 50,000 full-time workers at this future campus, with average salaries upwards of $100,000. Bids have come in from 44 states, including every New England state except for Vermont. New Hampshire’s proposal is as much about what the state has to offer as what it doesn’t have, while throwing shade on its conspicuous neighbor to the south. Governor Chris Sununu took the same tone at a press conference announcing the bid last week. Mr. Sununu said New Hampshire “has all the benefits of Boston, without the traffic, without the taxes, without the bureaucracy, but still being able to draw off the most talented workforce pool in the world.” Boston has of course thrown its hat in the ring. along with 25 other sites in Massachusetts. Below: a video from Boston’s Amazon proposal asserts “We are that shining city on a hill.” Joining us to discuss this cross-border kerfuffle and the politics behind the bids in both states is Asma Khalid, Bostonomix reporter at WBUR. We’re also joined by Todd Bookman, who covers business and economics for New Hampshire Public Radio. Into the Woods C.J. Fusco, pictured at Abigail’s Grille in Simsbury, Conn., is the author of Old Ghosts of New England: A Traveler’s Guide to the Spookiest Sites in the Northeast. Photo by Andrea Muraskin for NEXT. New England this time of year is a leaf-peeper’s paradise, but it’s also a great place to get a good scare.  If you know where to look, it’s not hard to find haunted houses, haunted cemeteries, and even haunted restaurants. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin found an old Connecticut tavern that’s been the subject of ghost stories all the way back to the American Revolution. She sat down there with the author of Old Ghosts of New England: A Traveler’s Guide to the Spookiest Sites in the Northeast. A scene from the film “Forrest Gump” was shot at Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, Maine. The lighthouse is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a young boy, who was murdered by bootleggers. Photo by Gianina Lindsey via Flickr Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Jeff Cohen, Patrick Skahill, Avory Brookins, Asma Khalid, Todd Bookman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and tales of the undead to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Utility companies face allegations that they drove up the cost of electricity in New England, and they’re pushing back. A rural doctor is told by the state she has to quit – in part because of her prescribing practices. Her patients ask, “who will help me with my pain?” We have the story of a wildfire that ravaged Maine 70 years ago. And we find out what the deal is with wild turkeys that are bugging residents around Boston. Dr. Anna Konopka of New London used only paper records and did not accept take insurance, but patients raved about her care. She closed her practice this month to settle allegations from the New Hampshire Board of Medicine. Photo by Britta Greene for NHPR Gaslighted A new academic report, released in conjunction with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund, says that New England electricity consumers paid billions of dollars more than necessary over a three-year period. The reason? Large utility companies created artificial gas shortages, according to the report. One of the big utilities named called the report a fabrication, but it’s drawn concern from state officials. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she is “reviewing” the report, and public utility regulators in Connecticut have opened an investigation. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever has the story. Mellanie Rodriguez, Francisco Rodriguez’s 10-year-old daughter, goes shopping for school supplies with her grandmother, Jesus Rodriguez. Photo by Hadley Green for WBUR We’ve been following the story of a Chelsea, Massachusetts, man who remains behind bars after being arrested by federal immigration officials during a scheduled office visit. Francisco Rodriguez is awaiting potential deportation back to El Salvador, the country he fled more than ten years ago. But as WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports, life carries on for his family. There are homework assignments, meals to cook and loads of laundry to be done. Greg Gibson, of Gloucester, Mass, with a photo of his son’s killer, Wayne Lo, on a computer screen. Gibson has kept up a correspondence with Lo for years, and the two men met in person for the first time this week. Photo by Anthony Brooks for WBUR It’s been a little more than two weeks since a gunman opened fire on crowd of concert-goers in Las Vegas, leaving 58 people dead and 489 injured. While investigators search for a motive, the family members of those who were murdered are just beginning a long and painful period of grief. WBUR’s Anthony Brooks has the story of two New England fathers who experienced this kind of grief firsthand, and who turned their losses into action. Not Your Typical Doctors Anna Konopka, M.D. Photo by Britta Greene for NENC Dr. Anna Konopka of New London, New Hampshire ended her decades -long practice this month. She’s nearly 85, but her retirement is not voluntary. She says she was forced to shut her practice down by a system that no longer values her brand of patient-centered medicine. However, the New Hampshire Board of Medicine has a different opinion. The board challenged her medical decision making and other aspects of her work. While the details of the allegations against Konopka are confidential, it’s likely that her practice of  prescribing opioid painkillers to many of her patients is under scrutiny. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Britta Greene reports. An empty marijuana jar at the Canna Care Docs clinic in Burlington. The company opened its first location in Vermont last month, and offers patients a new avenue to medical marijuana. Photo by Emily Corwin for VPR Two weeks ago, a new health clinic opened its doors in Burlington to do in Vermont what it has already done in several other states: bring thousands of new patients into the state’s medical cannabis program. Canna Care Docs bills itself as a “medical marijuana evaluation and education center,” and in places like Maine and Massachusetts, it has created an efficient new avenue for patients to gain legal access to medical marijuana. But some in Vermont worry that the Canna Care model sidesteps the important doctor-patient relationship. Vermont Public Radio’s Peter Hirschfeld has more. Wild Fires, Wild Turkeys Fast-moving wildfires in northern California have destroyed thousands of homes and taken more than forty lives. Seventy years ago, this same time of year, wildfires burned over hundreds of miles in Maine. These fires wiped out towns and forever changed the landscape. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. On Columbus Day, a Cranston, Rhode Island orthodontist stopped in to check on his office, only to find the double pane glass of his waiting room window shattered. And then he found the culprit– a fully-grown wild turkey – still alive. While smashing through a window is rare, human encounters with wild turkeys are becoming increasingly common in the Boston metro and other cities and suburbs around the country. Some residents complain that the animals are attacking humans and cars. Others are bemused or fascinated by the birds, like the Boston man who tweeted this cell phone video of a group of turkeys circling a dead cat, causing a stir online earlier this year. We talk with David Scarpitti, the wild turkey and upload game biologist for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife about why we’re seeing this influx of wild turkeys in urban and suburban areas – and what makes some of them so aggressive. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Shannon Dooling, Anthony Brooks, Britta Greene, Peter Hirschfeld, and Jill Kaufman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Gold Dayz” by Ultraista Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and turkey tales to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check in with New Englanders and their loved ones in Puerto Rico. And with everything we now know about opioid addiction, are doctors still over- prescribing painkillers? Also, after Las Vegas, one gun shop owner says the industry should self-regulate. Plus, we chat with singer-songwriter Dar Williams about her new book on rebuilding America’s towns. All that and more this week on NEXT. A pedestrian street in the Old Port in Portland, Maine, a neighborhood popular with tourists. Musician and author Dar Williams says towns thrive when they achieve a balance between places of interest to visitors and those of interest to residents. Photo by PhilipC via Flickr Aftermath Katie Herzog takes a walk with her dog, Pippen. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Katie Herzog, a business consultant and grandmother from Newton, Massachusetts had back surgery at one of Boston’s teaching hospitals last spring. The doctor sent her home with a powerful opiod, which she took as prescribed. Four weeks later, she was in withdrawal. Herzog’s experience reveals the many ways doctors, nurses, and hospitals are still fueling the opioid epidemic, and helps to explain an emerging call to hold hospitals accountable. From WBUR’s CommonHealth, Martha Bebinger reports. Connecticut native Veronica Montalvo (not pictured) has spent time delivering food, water, and toiletries to Puerto Ricans outside of San Juan. Photo by Veronica Montalvo via Facebook Veronica Montalvo was born in Willimantic, Connecticut and has lived in Hartford, Middletown, and Waterbury. She moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico earlier this year, and she weathered Hurricane Maria in her 300-year-old apartment building. She says the hours of howling winds were unbearable. The walls of her apartment were so wet they looked like they were crying. Part of her ceiling caved in. But many others had it worse. So Montalvo set out to help. WNPR’s Jeff Cohen has her story. Ben Beauchemin owns Wicked Weaponry in Hooksett, Nh. Photo by Casey McDermott for NHPR After the mass shooting in Las Vegas on October 1, people on both sides of the debate over firearms started to come together toward a possible ban of “bump stocks,” the device that the shooter used to increase the firing capacity of his rifle. Despite this small patch of middle ground, a gulf remains between gun advocates and those who want stricter gun control. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Casey McDermott spoke with a gun store owner in Hookset, New Hampshire who says his outlook differs from others in the gun industry. More on the gun debate in New England: Wednesday’s episode of The Exchange from NHPR. Vermont Public Radio’s multimedia in-depth reporting project “Gunshots,” which digs into six years of data on firearm deaths. NEXT‘s conversation with Harvard gun violence researcher Matthew Miller and VPR reporter Taylor Dobbs. A Better Place Have you ever revisited a town you hadn’t seen in years and thought “Boy, this place has changed”? Suddenly, there’s a new row of restaurants, or a boarded-up mill building has come back to life. Maybe you’ve witnessed the opposite: a hollowed-out shell of a once-busy main street. As a touring musician, singer-songwriter Dar Williams has a front seat to the changes happening in American towns large and small. Her new book is What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician’s Guide to Rebuilding America’s Communities – One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, & Open-Mike Night at a Time. In her writing, she theorizes about why some towns thrive, and others can’t seem to get out of their post-industrial slump. The book is peppered with references to New England towns, and Williams has personal history here. She lived and worked in Boston, and Western Massachusetts, and went to college at Wesleyan University  in Middletown, Connecticut in the 1980s. And she visits the region often. You can see her perform at several venues this fall. Destructive Bugs, Healing Plants The yellow blobs are a sign of infestation by southern pine beetle. When attacked, the tree releases resin in attempt to push out the beetles. Photo courtesy of CT DEEP. Pine forests in New England could soon be at the mercy of an incredibly destructive insect. As WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports, the southern pine beetle is making its way north. And a new study says climate change could speed its migration. To prevent their collective cultural knowledge about medicinal plants from disappearing, some Vermont tribal nations are sharing their expertise with those outside the native communities. On a recent sunny morning, Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson went along on an educational plant walk. Usnea is a genus of lichen that’s sometimes referred to as old man’s beard. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Jeff Cohen, Martha Bebinger, Casey McDermott, Patrick Skahill, Kathleen Masterson Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Johnny Appleseed” by Dar Williams Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and story leads next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we walk the US-Canada border with Border Patrol agents, and hear the concerns of civil rights lawyers who worry about their ability to stop people they suspect of living in the country without documentation. We’ll also hear the story of an unusual experiment proposed for Martha’s Vineyard, one that asks residents to trust a scientist who’s trying to stop the spread of Lyme disease. We meet a man who’s become a Boston institution while playing music in a bear suit. And we go to church on an uninhabited island. U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brad Brant on the U.S. -Canada border in Highgate, Vt. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC South of the Border United States Border Patrol agents are dedicated to protecting the border 24 hours a day, monitoring for things like drug smuggling and human trafficking. Their jurisdiction also extends significantly inland. Within 100 miles of the border and the coastline they have broad authority to stop cars for immigration questions. Civil rights advocates say recent stops in New Hampshire and Vermont are concerning. Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson reports. Carlos Rafael’s fleet, nearly one fifth of the fishing fleet in New Bedford, Massachusetts, photographed on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016.  Photo by Tristan Spinksi for Mother Jones/FERN. Earlier this year we brought you the intriguing true crime story of Carlos Rafael, also know as “The Codfather.” Back in March, the New Bedford Massachusetts – based fishing magnate plead guilty to 28 counts of fraud. The Codfather grossly under-reported his catch – at the expense of smaller fishermen who lacked the permits to bring in more valuable fish. Last week, Rafael was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, plus a $200,000 fine. Because of his outsized influence, Rafael’s imprisonment has the potential to reshape New England’s groundfishing business. To learn more, we invited back Ben Goldfarb, a freelance journalist who’s covered the case of the Codfather for Mother Jones Magazine and the Food and Environment Reporting Network. Veteran Cindy McGuirk speaks up for women veterans at a town hall meeting addressing concerns about the Manchester VA on July 31, 2017. Photo by Peter Biello for NHPR NEXT  has also been keeping an eye on problems at the VA medical center in Manchester, New Hampshire. This past July, the Boston Globe Spotlight Team published an investigative report detaining unsanitary conditions and patient neglect at the VA – a facility that was given a four-star rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The next day, two top officials were removed. Two days after that, a pipe burst, flooding five floors at the hospital. One of those spaces was dedicated to women’s health. Now, as the Manchester VA rebuilds itself, some see an opportunity to improve the experience for women veterans. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Peter Biello reports. Surrounded by Water Not only was Lyme Disease discovered here in New England, it’s had a pretty profound effect. As we’ve reported, the Northeast has the biggest concentration of Lyme cases, and the problem seems to be getting worse. Public health officials have tried all sorts of efforts to cut down on the transmission of the disease, which is spread by deer ticks – after they are infected by rodent hosts. Geneticist Kevin Esvelt (right) takes questions from a Martha’s Vineyard audience. in July 2016. Photo by Annie Minoff for Science Friday One of the places with the highest concentrations of Lyme cases is also one of New England’s most famous vacation destinations: Martha’s Vineyard. That’s where the podcast Undiscovered went to track a geneticist who’s proposing a novel solution – releasing genetically modified mice on the island. Undiscovered co-host Annie Minoff joins us to talk about a science experiment that has as much to do with people and politics as mice and ticks. Margie Howe Emmons sits in the outdoor chapel on Chocurua Island on New Hampshire’s Squam Like. Photo by Sean Hurley for NHPR Every Sunday morning through the summer, a bell rings out three times from an island in the middle of Squam Lake. It’s a signal that boaters, kayakers, and even swimmers, should begin to make their way to the island – because church is about to start. With a granite boulder serving as an altar and music from a hand cranked organ, Chocurua Island has hosted religious services of all kinds for more than a hundred years. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley visited the island with one of its most devoted caretakers. Net Zero The all-concrete “Home Run House” in Warren, VT. Photo by Jon Kalish for NENC We’ve been bringing you stories of super-energy-efficient housing as part of our series, The Big Switch. Most of these dwellings use a combination of traditional building materials, some high tech advancements, and renewable energy sources like solar and geothermal to get to what’s called “net zero” – meaning NO fossil fuels. Reporter Jon Kalish found another such building in the small town of Warren, Vermont. But the key to this house is its unconventional building material. Renderings show the “Home Run House” when complete. Image courtesy of Dave Sellers. Bostonians are not exactly known for the warm fuzzies, but in recent years a fuzzy, costumed street performer has won the affection of many in New England’s largest city. The busker dresses in a bear suit, plays the keytar, and is known as Keytar Bear. Freelance reporter Carol Vassar wanted to know more about the bear, and the man inside the costume. She brings us this report. A post on the “We Love Keytar Bear” Facebook page after the performer was attacked by teenagers this June. Keytar Bear is not the hero we deserve but the hero we need. @KeytarBear pic.twitter.com/8wwLlbISit — Roomba (@TheRoomba) September 18, 2017 About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Ben Goldfarb, Peter Biello, Annie Minoff, Sean Hurley, Jon Kalish, and Carol Vassar Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and story leads next@wnpr.org. Tweet your Keytar Bear photos to us @NEXTNewEngland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England communities prepare for an influx of hurricane refugees from Puerto Rico, and worry about family back home. We’ll learn what Germany can teach us about welcoming immigrants, and we’ll tour an old Hartford factory that’s preparing for a new life as a food and jobs hub for a struggling neighborhood. Plus, the craft beer industry is exploding in New England, but another time-honored trade is in danger of disappearing. A scene from the Swift Factory, which manufactured gold leaf in Hartford from 1895 to 2005. The nonprofit that owns the building hopes to house food operations, a health center, and more. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NEXT. In the News: Hurricane Survivors, Healthcare Laws, Racism There are over 600,000 Puerto Ricans living in New England, and many are struggling to get ahold of loved ones there after the devastation left by Hurricane Maria. WNPR’s Ryan Caron King spoke with one Hartford, Connecticut resident. In the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, 80 percent of public school students are of Puerto Rican descent. As people try to flee the island, the district is expecting an influx of new students, as Jill Kaufman reports. We’d love to hear from you if you’re still trying to reach loved ones or get help to Puerto Rico. Leave a note on our Facebook page or tag us on Twitter.  Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins in Lewiston, Maine in August. Photo by Robert F. Bukaty for Maine Public Maine Senator Susan Collins announced earlier this week that she would vote against the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill, killing the latest Republican attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. It’s not the first time she has broken with leaders in the GOP, and it’s a reminder that the independently-minded “Yankee Republican” isn’t extinct. But who is Collins, and how is she regarded back home? Our guest Steve Mistler is the Chief Political Correspondent for Maine Public Radio, and a close Collins-watcher. Residents of Claremont, Nh. gathered earlier this month for a vigil following news of an alleged lynching-style attack of a young biracial boy in town. Photo by Britta Greene for NHPR Claremont, New Hampshire is still reeling from an incident involving a young biracial boy and a group of teenagers. The victim’s family says it’s an open-and-shut case of racism: an attempted lynching. Parents of a teenager involved in the incident say that’s not what happened. They say the kids were playing with a rope and climbing trees when things went wrong. As Britta Greene reports, The incident has divided the community. Turning Over a New Leaf Many New England cities used to be manufacturing hubs. Workers lived near where they worked, and supported the other businesses that sprung up around them. Today, old factories are puzzles to solve. Some retain a bit of small manufacturing — others are converted into high-end lofts, artists’ studios, and even world-class art museums, like MassMoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. The building that housed the Swift Factory is tucked into a residential section of Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. Gold leaf. Photo via Pixabay Gold leaf, a thin, paper-like gold product, was manufactured there for over 100 years. Leaf produced at Swift adorned the dome atop the Connecticut capitol building, and decorated the lettering on the sides of local fire trucks. The company was owned by a white family, the Swifts. And the neighborhood, which had mostly white immigrant residents early in the 1900s, gradually became African-American and West Indian. It still is today. The Swift Factory closed in 2005. A nonprofit called Community Solutions took ownership in 2010, and surveyed the neighborhood to figure out what to do with the site. Sometimes, a factory renovation can be an early sign of gentrification. But the plans for this particular building are a response to the needs and desires of the people already living here, representatives say. On a factory tour this summer, we learned about what’s to come. We also got a sense of what factory life was like from a woman who experienced it firsthand. How Does Germany Handle Refugees? Instructor Irene Sperfeld writes out German vocabulary during a course for language learners at Evangelische Hochschule Dresden. In Germany, language classes for newcomers are paid for by the state. Photo by Cassandra Bassler for NENC Germany’s leader Angela Merkel has been spending tax dollars to house and educate more than 1 million asylum-seekers from places like Syria and Iraq. And that’s made a lot of Germans unhappy: a far-right, anti-immigrant party fared better than expected in this past week’s election. Cassandra Basler from member station WSHU has been covering immigration to New England for our Facing Change project, and recently traveled to Germany to look at the challenges facing immigrants and the places that host them. Of Beer and Clocks Selection of beers on tap at Grey Sail Brewing, Westerly, RI. Photo by Tom Verde for NENC. It’s Octoberfest time, and the craft beer industry in New England has plenty to raise a glass to. Craft beer is growing faster here than anywhere in the country. But is growing too fast? Is it possible to have too much craft beer? Tom Verde went to find out. In the mid-1800s, New England was a global center for the clockmaking industry. Today, the region is filled with antique, often centuries-old clocks — in church steeples, libraries, courthouses, and homes. Master clockmaker James Roberts examines a churchtower clock in Redding, Mass. The timepiece in the center connects to four transparent glass dials, one on each wall. View of the clocktower room from above. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT. David Roberts with a clock face and dial that he and his brother James restored. Photo by Dan Richards for NEXT.               That industry, of course, is long gone. And slowly, the people who preserve its artifacts are disappearing, too. Dan Richards has the story. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Ryan Caron King, Jill Kaufman, Britta Greene, Cassandra Basler, Tom Verde, and Dan Richards Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Unsquare Dance” by Dave Brubeck, “Beer Barrel Polka” by Orchestra Will Glahé Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and scraps of precious metals to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, immigrants facing domestic violence take a chance applying for a special visa. Plus, we take a nervous look at Vermont’s outdated flood maps, and a new study that finds New England is losing forestland fast. Also, how does geology influence human behavior? We go WAY back into the history of our region to find out. And it’s time once again for The Big E – the massive agricultural fair that ties together the New England states. We’ll give you a taste. The Pawtuckaway Mountains in Southeastern New Hampshire are the remnant of an extinct volcano. “Blobs” of granite, formed from magma, created the rock formations that characterize much of New Hampshire’s topography. Image via USGS, 1957. Choosing Between Safety and Deportation Immigrants living in New England illegally have reason to be on edge. President Trump’s enhanced enforcement priorities are leading to increased arrests. And reports of federal immigration agents showing up at schools and courts are heightening fears among people in the country without authorization. But what happens when that fear is used as a weapon? This episode, reporter Shannon Dooling tells us how immigration status is used to torment and intimidate — and why more people may be looking for a way out. Some immigrants living here without authorization who’ve been victims of crime in the U.S. may be eligible for a U visa. The application process and lengthy wait time used to be a deterrent, but that appears to be changing under the Trump administration. Here, immigration lawyer Susan Roses, left, reviews documents and with Antonia concerning her U-visa filing. Photo by Jesse Costa via WBUR. And as Hurricanes rip through Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Texas, and Florida, the impacts are felt in New England, too. Not just in the high winds and surf we saw from Hurricane Jose along the coastline, but in the way we think about risks from those storms. Right now, the National Flood Insurance Program is $25 billion in debt, and Congress is trying to figure out how to make it work. But even before the funding crisis, the national program was not addressing the flood risks in many states, including Vermont. Vermont Public Radio’s Howard Weiss-Tisman reports that some of the ideas under discussion could have real impacts here. Department of Environmental Conservation floodplain manager Ned Swanberg points to areas in a map of Jamaica that are prone to flooding. Many of the FEMA flood maps in Vermont are outdated and don’t accurately convey the true threat of catastrophic floods. Credit Howard Weiss-Tisman. Also, one of the ways to prevent flooding is by planting trees – a study in the UK last year showed that planting trees could reduce the height of flooding in by up to 20 percent. But another study, just out from Harvard, shows that New England is losing trees at a rapid rate. The authors say our region is losing forest at a rate of 65 acres a day, and could lose more than a million acres of forest cover over the next half-century. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. Bedrock and Politics in New Hampshire and Vermont Listeners to Brave Little State – the people-powered podcast from Vermont Public Radio – have a knack for curiosity. Visitors to VPR’s website vote on their favorite listener-submitted questions about Vermont – sending reporters scampering across the Green Mountain State in search of answers. When we heard the question they took on for this month’s episode, we knew we had to discuss it on NEXT. Matt “Beagle” Bourgault, of Hinesburg, Vermont, asked: “What does the geology have to do with the character of Vermont? How do the underlying, rocks, soils, topography affect how Vermont is different from other New England states and from New York?” Our guest Angela Evancie is the host of Brave Little State and managing editor for podcasts at Vermont Public Radio.  Also joining us is Sam Evans-Brown, host of Outside/In, a podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio about the outside world and how we use it. Sam’s also a self-professed “secret geology nerd.” (The secret’s out now, Sam.) This bedrock geologic map shows the folded bedrock that creates Vermont’s long north-south valleys, as well as some blobs of bedrock in the Northeast Kingdom.Courtesy of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation / Agency of Natural Resources. Do you have a question you’d like NEXT to investigate? Submit it here. Pleasure Horses, Lobster Rolls, and State Pride at The Big E Rider Jillian Silva introduces her horse, Indy, to the camera after winning a park horse competition. Credit: Ryan King/ WNPR. The Eastern States Exposition – better known as The Big E – is a massive fair that runs for two weeks in the fall in West Springfield, Massachusetts. This is The Big E’s 101st year. The exposition was the brainchild of Joshua L. Brooks, a printer from Springfield, who also operated a farm. At the time, even as industry was booming in New England, farming was in decline – local farmers couldn’t compete with the farms out in the fertile land of the Midwest. Pig racing at The Big E. Credit: Ryan King/ WNPR. Brooks’s idea was to start an event that would showcase new farming methods and technology, and establish competitive awards that would motivate farmers to produce more efficiently. Brooks got a group of businessmen together, they purchased some land in Springfield. And they convinced the National Dairy Association, which was headquartered in Chicago, to have their exhibition here instead of the Midwest. The dairy show was held in September 1916, and by the next year, Brooks had the agricultural showcase that he envisioned. A woman selling lobster rolls in the Maine building says Maine lobster rolls are better than the Connecticut kind. Host John Dankosky disagrees. Credit: Ryan King/WNPR. Today, The Big E features many attractions familiar to country fairs. There are still livestock competitions, and of course, lots of greasy fair food. But it’s also a uniquely pan-New England event. On the grounds, six permanent buildings showcase the goods, cuisines, attractions and quirks of each state in our region. As a show about New England, the state buildings were what drew us to the fair last year, and they did not disappoint. There was so much to see and do at The Big E, we couldn’t possibly take it all in. For a taste, check out this video by the wonderful Ryan Caron King. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Howard Weiss-Tisman, Fred Bever, Angela Evancie, Sam Evans-Brown Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Shameless” by Ani DiFranco Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and ideas for your state’s new motto to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dams clog rivers and streams all over New England. Environmentalists want to take many of them down to improve habitat for fish, but some entrepreneurs want to put them back to work doing their original jobs: making power. Plus, with the Trump Administration’s voter fraud commission meeting in New Hampshire this week, we revisit our conversation about the wacky political world of the Granite State. And, we take trips to two places that are trying to attract tourists: the factory site of a controversial gun magnate, and a mythical wonderland that takes shape just over the border in Québec. Built about 150 years ago, Mill Pond Dam in Colchester, Vt., is currently breached, but still creating a small swamp upstream. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR What Do You Do With an Old Dam? The rivers and streams of New England are littered with thousands of dams. Many of them were used to produce the energy that sparked industry, but they’re now doing little more than than clogging waterways. Conservationists looking to restore the health of rivers are often met with political and emotional resistance when they try to remove large dams. So some are turning their attention to smaller, privately owned ones. Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson took a closer look. Nick Cabral is a co-founder of Goose River Hydro in Belfast, Maine But not everyone’s ready to tear down old New England dams. In central Maine, a couple of young entrepreneurs sees potential in old dams in the form of renewable energy and profit. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever has more.  Vote First or Die Voters cast ballots in Windham, New Hampshire. Photo by Allegra Boverman for NHPR. Even by New Hampshire’s high standards, this was a pretty big week in politics. President Trump’s controversial voter fraud commission met in Manchester, where one of the commission’s members, long-time New Hampshire secretary of state Bill Gardner, faced criticism from all four members of the state’s congressional delegation. Gardner used the occasion of the meeting to rebuke Kris Kobach, the Kansas Secretary of State, for his op-ed on Brietbart.com, suggesting widespread voter fraud in the 2016 New Hampshire election. It’s a claim that FactCheck.org called “bogus.” Meanwhile, a state judge ruled against a provision in a new voter law that would have subjected voters to a possible fine or jail time if they failed to submit residency paperwork in a timely fashion. The judge wrote that the provision was a “very serious deterrent” to the right to vote. That New Hampshire’s elections have come under scrutiny is something that grates at state residents. The Granite State takes pride in the way it conducts its elections, with no institution more sacred than its first-in-the-nation primary. Scott Conroy is a long-time political reporter, who grew up in neighboring Massachusetts, and who became enamored with New Hampshire’s political culture while covering presidential candidates criss-crossing the state. His book is Vote First or Die: The New Hampshire Primary: Americas Discerning, Magnificent, and Absurd Road to the White House. NEXT caught up with Conroy earlier this year. Building a National Park Based on Hartford History Sparks Pride, and Discomfort Unlike New Hampshire, Connecticut has long suffered from a kind of civic inferiority complex. The state is stuck between Boston and New York, but far more congested than scenic New England destinations to the north. Student reporters Nicole Ellis (left) and Madyson Frame pose at Samuel Colt’s statue in Hartford’s Colt Park, with historian Bill Hosley. Photo by Sam Hockaday And then there are the money problems. It’s one of the richest states in the nation, but the state budget is billions in the hole. And Hartford, the state’s capital, struggles with a perception that it has too much crime and not enough to do. But something big is on the horizon. A new national park, set to open in the next few years, will tell the story of one of the city’s most important industrial leaders. Coltsville National Historical Park will be built on land that once belonged to firearms manufacturer Samuel Colt, and will include parts of the historic Colt factory complex. Colt had an outsized influence on Hartford and was a major player in the Industrial Revolution. But is his a history worth honoring? Madyson Frame, a recent graduate of Hartford’s Journalism and Media Academy, reports. Lighting Up the Forest Flips the Switch on a Small Town A stroll through Foresta Lumina includes some sparkly, stunningly lit sections of forest. Photo by Chris Jensen While Hartford dreams about creating a tourist attraction from the ground up, Coaticook, Québec, which sits right on the Vermont border, pulled it off. Local officials took an unusual idea, made a $1 million gamble, and hit a tourism geyser: a high-tech enchanted woodland called Foresta Lumina. Reporter Chris Jensen, with the New Hampshire Center for Public Interest Journalism, went to see for himself. Below: a video from the Creators Project goes behind the scenes at Foresta Lumina. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Fred Bevers, Madyson Frame, Nicole Ellis, Tikeyah Whittle, Sam Hockaday, Jose Vargas, and Chris Jensen Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Nature Kid” by Podington Bear, “Cm” by Podington Bear Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and tourism ideas to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paola, 19, has lived most of her life in the U.S. after being brought from El Salvador by her mother when she was a child. She received deferred action in 2016 and Tuesday was her first day of classes at UMass Boston. Photo by Shannon Dooling for WBUR In Vermont, suicides account for 89 percent of gun-related deaths. Why is that percentage so high, and what’s being done to lower the risk? Also, we learn how the region is reacting to President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program. And we explore the wide variety of accents that color the speech of New Englanders and how those sounds are changing. Finally, we wade into an offshore war between Maine and New Hampshire and visit a summer camp with a colonial flair. It’s NEXT! You can stream the entire episode by clicking play on the embedded media player above or listen to the embedded SoundCloud files below for individual reports.  At Risk Students at Eastern Connecticut State University protest President Trump’s decision to end protections for undocumented young people on Tuesday, September 5, 2017. Photo by Ryan Caron King for WNPR We’ve been hearing the voices of young people around New England whose future is very uncertain. About 15,000 immigrants in our region have been granted temporary status under the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The Obama-era initiative allows young people whose parents brought them to the country illegally to live and work in the United States. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday that the government will phase out the DACA program. Many elected officials have reacted sharply toward that decision and four New England States have joined a lawsuit in support of DACA recipients. As reporter Shannon Dooling found, this news came at a difficult time for many students. She went to the University of Massachusetts-Boston on the first day of school with this report. Cragin’s Gun Shop in Rutland, Vt. primarily serves hunters. Owner John Cragin said suicide is a tricky issue – but if he has any doubts about selling someone a gun, he won’t make the sale. Photo by Liam Elder-Connors for VPR For many people in Vermont, guns are a way of life. Unlike more populous, more urban states in our region, Vermonters own guns at a higher rate and fiercely protect their gun rights. That means looser gun laws than in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island — but also a higher rate of gun deaths per capita than in those states. Vermont Public Radio wanted to look into the numbers behind this reality and found some surprising data and personal stories. Four hundred twenty people died from gunshot wounds in Vermont between 2011 and 2016. Eighty-nine percent of those deaths were suicides. Data visualization by Taylor Dobbs for Vermont Public Radio Our guest Taylor Dobbs is the digital reporter at Vermont Public Radio, and he produced the reporting project “Gunshots: Vermont Gun Deaths, 2011-2016.” We’re also joined by Matthew Miller, M.D., a professor of health sciences and Epidemiology at Northeastern University and co-director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. VPR has made the death certificate data gathered for the project public. See the spreadsheet here. The Shifting New England Accent The Netflix prison drama “Orange is the New Black” features a woman with a Boston-flavored accent. In fact, this character’s way of talking is a little more complicated than that, and so is her story. Developing that sound brought actress Yael Stone to Boston. There, she met up with WBUR’s Sarah Rose Brenner, who has this report. Dropped Rs and long As can be heard, of course, not only in Boston but across much of New England. But in a 2012 paper published in the Journal of American Speech, Dartmouth College linguist James Stanford and his colleagues make the case that a classic New England accent is receding. Can you spot the dialect division in this bagel shop menu? From the (now closed) Bagel Basement in Hanover, New Hampshire. Courtesy of James Stanford In a study currently under peer review, Stanford and his partners used an online crowd-sourcing tool to reach over 600 speakers around the region. This big data set allowed them to tease out subtle differences in the way people from different parts of New England talk. James Stanford joins us to discuss some of his team’s findings. Chaeyoon Kim, Sravana Reddy, Ezra Wyschogrod, and Jack Grieve are co-authors on the study. For a deep dive into the Vermont accent, we highly recommend the very first episode of Vermont Public Radio’s podcast Brave Little State. Lobster Pots and Chamber Pots This map, produced by NH Fish & Game in 1976, details the claims made by both sides in the lobster wars. Courtesy Portsmouth Athenaeum Off the coast of New Hampshire are the iconic Isles of Shoals. Somewhere around the middle of those isles, there’s a dotted line: the state border between New Hampshire and Maine. As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jason Moon learned, that line has been the cause of some intense disagreement over the years among lobstermen. It’s back-to-school time in New England. And in their “what I did this summer” essays, some Connecticut kids might be writing about the week they spent in 1774. Each year, the Noah Webster House in West Hartford, the childhood home of the founder of the American dictionary, holds Colonial Children’s Camp. The program gives kids a taste of what daily life was like in Webster’s time. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin paid a visit. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Taylor Dobbs, Sarah Rose Brenner, Jason Moon Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and recordings of your mom’s accent to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we revisit New England’s most devastating weather event, the hurricane of 1938  — and find out what we’ve learned about protecting against storms. We’ll also learn about the new deal struck by Northeastern states to combat climate change, and about a big battery that could be the future for energy storage. Plus, we hear the music of the White Mountains and make some noises only a moose could love. A farmhouse in Willimantic, Conn. among acres of blowdown after the hurricane of 1938. Photo courtesy of the US Forest Service Energize NextEra site manager Ben Pierce and project manger Jeff Plew at the company’s new “grid-scale” battery array on Cousins Island in Maine’s Casco Bay. Photo by Fred Bever for Maine Public We’ve reported on the need to find storage for the extra energy that is sometimes produced by wind or solar plants  to conserve it for other times when the sun isn’t out and the wind’s not blowing. Giant “grid scale” batteries are one way to store that energy, and they’re getting cheaper and more sophisticated. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever has more. For more stories about the growing role of renewable energy in our region, check out the New England News Collaborative series, “The Big Switch.” The RGGI program follows a cap-and-trade model. Companies bid for trade-able credits that allow them to release a limited amount of carbon into the atmosphere. Photo by nathanmac87 via Flickr   Earlier this month, The nine states of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) announced a plan to cut power plant emissions by an additional 30 percent between 2020 and 2030.  The move is being hailed by environmental groups as one of the biggest efforts taken by states since President Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. However, the negotiations did include a push and pull between some New England States that wanted deeper emissions cuts, and Mid-Atlantic states that run on a different energy mix. Our guest Katie Dykes is chair of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in Connecticut, and chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Geenhouse Gas Initiative. Hurricanes at Home Workers with the CCC wet down hurricane slash in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. With so much lumber on the ground, fires were a major concern. Photo by the United States Forest Service Hurricane Harvey marks America’s biggest rain event and one of the most destructive natural disasters in history. Here in New England — while Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy caused major damage — the worst storm to hit our region came without warning on September 21, 1938. This hurricane hit Long Island first, and continued up the Connecticut Valley, plowing through Western Massachusetts and Vermont in a matter of hours. The storm took 600 lives, and destroyed a thousand square miles of forestland. That environmental damage is the focus of the book Thirty Eight: the Hurricane That Transformed New England — out in paperback on September 21. We’re joined by author Stephen Long. Aerial view if the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, New Bedford, Mass. Photo courtesy of the US Army Corps of Engineers After getting slammed by hurricanes several years in a row, New Bedford, Massachusetts built a massive barrier across its valuable harbor in the 1960s. But as the climate changes, city leaders know the wall can only hold back the sea for so long. As part of  the series “Climate Change in Massachusetts,” WBUR’s Lisa Mullins reports. The Hills are Alive… Steve Wilkes recording on the summit of Mt. Tecumseh in the White Mountain National Forest. Photo by Sean Hurley for NHPR Steve Wilkes is a drumming professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He’s also a former member of Blue Man Group and has toured the world with The Empire Brass Quintet. But for his latest gig, Wilkes won’t be making music. Instead, he’s recording the sounds of the forest and compiling the first ever audio map of the White Mountains. New Hampshire Public Radio North Country reporter Sean Hurley joined Wilkes on a recent sound-gathering trip. You can listen to all of Wilkes’ recordings and track his progress at heartheforest.org. Competitors imitate moose mating calls at the North Country Moose Festival. Photo by Chris Jensen for NHPR Not all of the sounds of the forest are soothing, as reporter Chris Jensen learned when he visited the North Country Moose Festival, held last weekend in the adjoining towns of Colebrook, New Hampshire and nearby Canaan, Vermont. He sends an audio postcard from the festival’s moose calling competition.     About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Lisa Mullins, Lynn Jolicoeur, Sean Hurley, Chris Jensen Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and recordings of your sexiest moose calls to next@wnpr.org.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month have echoes in New England. This week, we hear local reactions to seeing a Keene, New Hampshire local featured in a documentary about white supremacists at Charlottesville, and we recon with a quieter kind of racism in Boston in the wake of the “Free Speech” rally and counter-protest last Saturday. Plus, Granite Staters get the chance to “ask a Muslim anything.” Later in the show, we visit a Maine school on the cutting edge of composting, and a yacht race that is a reminder of another time. Counter protesters amassed outside of the barriers at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common on August 19. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Grappling With Race and Inclusion in the Granite State It’s been two weeks since a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to violent clashes between neo-Nazis and counter-protesters. One anti-fascist demonstrator was killed and many were injured when a car, driven by one of the alt-right marchers, plowed into a group of people. The events of the weekend were captured in a documentary by VICE News and HBO called “Charlottesville, Race and Terror.” The main subject of that report is Christopher Cantwell, 36, from Keene, New Hampshire, who advocates online for what he calls a white “ethno-state,” and promises violence. White nationalist Christopher Cantwell speaks with VICE News correspondent Elle Reeve. Cantwell’s tone changed somewhat in a video he shot himself, following news that authorities were seeking him in connection with violence at the rally. He has since surrendered to police, facing two felony counts of illegal use of tear gas, and one count of malicious bodily injury by means of a caustic substance. We’re joined by New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Britta Greene, who has been following Cantwell’s story, and getting reaction from the Keene community. Robert Azzi. Photo by Peter Biello for NHPR   Where Christopher Cantwell spreads a message of hate, Exeter resident Robert Azzi is working to spread understanding. The Lebanese-American Muslim photojournalist is traveling around New Hampshire hosting a series of conversations he calls “Ask a Muslim Anything.” WBUR’s Anthony Brooks reports. Dialogue between people of different races — or faiths — has been difficult in the weeks following Charlottesville. And one of the trickiest conversations has been about physical images of our racist past. While New England doesn’t have many debates about Confederate statues, the history of white settlers and their relationship with indigenous people is also fraught. This week, Yale University announced that it would remove a stone carving of a Puritan aiming a musket at Native American. As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jason Moon reports, a mural in a Durham, New Hampshire post office has also sparked a controversy. A mural including 16 images representing town history, including a Native American carrying a flaming torch and looking out at a colonial cabin,  was commissioned by the Women’s Club of Durham in 1959. Photo by Jason Moon for NHPR Moving the Needle on Systemic Racism in Boston Kevin Peterson is founder of the Boston-based New Democracy Coalition and a senior fellow at the Center for Collaborative Leadership at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. The scene at a so-called “Free Speech” rally in Boston last Saturday offered a stark contrast to the events in Charlottesville the weekend before. A few dozen attendees of the conservative rally were met on the Boston Common by an estimated 40,000 counter-demonstrators. Boston police didn’t allow the protesters or the media to get near the rally, so their message couldn’t be heard. Many in Boston, including our guest Kevin Peterson, applauded the counter-protesters — a majority white crowd — for standing up to bigotry and hatred. But in a column for WBUR’s Cognoscenti, Peterson asks Bostonians to now do something more difficult: work to counter systemic, historic, everyday racism in their city. First Class Compost, J Class Yachts The Maine Compost School teaches the right way to compost with a series of test piles. Photo by Nick Woodward for Maine Public Radio A few times a year, people from all over the US — and well beyond — trek to Maine to learn the science of all things rotten. The Maine Compost School has been teaching people how to turn organic trash into treasure for 20 years, making it the longest-running program of its kind in the U.S. Maine Public Radio’s Jennifer Mitchell takes us there. A J Class boat sailing out of Newport Harbor, with the Pell Bridge in the background. A J Class yacht training on the waters off Newport Harbor. Photo by Pearl Mack for RIPR Newport Rhode Island is a world capital for sailing. This week, the city is host to a first in the sailing world: the J Class World Championship. J-Class yachts are rare, and they’re huge. Picture a sailboat about as long as a basketball court racing around Newport harbor. Rhode Island Public Radio’s John Bender went to take a look. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Britta Greene, Jason Moon, Jennifer Mitchell, and John Bender Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and photos of your compost pile to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A solar array in Coventry, Vermont. Photo by Angela Evancie for VPR This week on NEXT: A new draft federal climate report forecasts warmer temperatures, higher seas, and more precipitation for the Northeast than predicted just three years ago. We speak with a University of New Hampshire climatologist. And one town is host to a surprising amount of resources New Englanders use, and that’s taking a toll on local residents. We find out how Massachusetts’s big renewable energy procurement is shaping up, and learn about local efforts to save seeds from disappearance. Plus, we visit a West Indian food fest in Hartford, Connecticut, and an influential artists’ colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. And finally, Jill Kaufman fills in for John Dankosky on this episode–it’s NEXT! You can stream the entire episode by clicking play on the embedded media player above or listen to the embedded SoundCloud files below for individual reports.  Unambiguous Several industrial sites are located on the Chelsea Creek in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Photo by Robin Lubbock for WBUR A “global, long-term, and unambiguous warming trend has continued,” according to a draft of a congressionally-mandated report published every four years. And many lines of evidence “demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases are primarily responsible” for those climate changes in the last almost 70 years. Back in March, when at least one draft of this report had already surfaced, Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, told CNBC he does not think carbon dioxide is a primary control knob for climate: “Measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something that’s very challenging to do and there’s tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact. So no, I would not agree that it’s a primary contributor to the global warming that we see… but we don’t know that yet. We need to continue the debate and continue the review and the analysis.” To learn more about the report, and climate changes that are happening in New England, we’re joined by Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski, Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change: think New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. These areas suffer from poor air quality, increasing temperatures, and extreme weather. In many of those same communities, residents already live among health hazards like fuel storage units and the toxic remains that come with them. In the city of Chelsea, Massachusetts, residents bear these burdens while much of New England benefits. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports. Extension Cord Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect proposal (left) and Emera Maine’s Atlantic Link proposal represent two bids to bring hydro-electric power from Quebec dams to Massachusetts. Massachusetts is making huge efforts to get renewable energy to its consumers. State policy is changing the energy landscape in New England, and maybe the physical landscape, too. Fred Bever covers energy for Maine Public Radio, and he’s been looking at how Massachusetts’s energy efforts affect the whole region. Biologists worldwide are saving seeds from crops and other plants important to the ecosystem. In New England, 22 percent of the region’s native plants are considered “rare.” Some are on the federal list of endangered species. Many Islands and One Colony Los Calientes, or The Hot Ones, a Connecticut-based salsa band, performs at the Taste of the Caribbean and Jerk Festival in Hartford, Connecticut. on August 5, 2017. Photo by Andrea Muraskin for NEXT Jamaicans celebrated the 55th anniversary of their independence from Great Britain on August 5. Hartford, Connecticut enjoys a whole week of celebrations every summer, with participants from across the West Indian diaspora. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin went down to the city’s waterfront for the kickoff event, the 12thAnnual Taste of the Caribbean and Jerk Festival, and shares an audio postcard. Last Sunday, in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the renowned MacDowell artists’ colony opened its gates to the public. The annual event is a big deal for hundreds of outsiders who come here to wander the fields and woods, and meet the 30 or so poets, composers, painters, dancers, architects, and journalists: artists-in-residence tucked away in simple, sufficient studios for a few weeks, in near obscurity. Guest host Jill Kaufman paid a visit and sat down with renowned novelist Michael Chabon, chair of the MacDowell Colony board. “Tombstones” in a studio at the MacDowell Colony bear the names of artists who have stayed there. Photo by Jill Kaufman for NEXT.   About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Our host this week is Jill Kaufman of New England Public Radio. Our regular host is John Dankosky. Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Shannon Dooling, Fred Bever Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and jerk recipes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River, overtaxed sewage systems are being pushed to filter out more pollutants. This week, we look into what it takes to clean up our water systems. Following the announcement that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics, we revisit Boston’s aborted Olympic bid in search of lessons about urban planning and civic engagement. We follow the journey of an aluminum can, and meet a DIY Youtube star from the woods of Maine. The mouth of the Connecticut River. The Amtrak Old Saybrook-Old Lyme bridge is the last crossing before the river meets Long Island Sound. Nitrogen runoff from soil upriver is responsible for fish die-off in the salt waters of the sound. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Influent and Effluent Springfield Water and Sewer Plant Manager Mickey Nowak gives a quick biology lesson, explaining how bacteria found in sewage is currently denitrified at the plant. Photo by Jill Kaufman for NENC By the end of the year, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce new limits on the amount of nitrogen that wastewater treatment plants in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire can release into New England’s largest river, the Connecticut. These new rules could mean a small tweak of the system, or a costly plant retrofit. No one knows for sure until the limits are announced. Nitrogen is a nutrient in soil, but when it reaches salt water it becomes a pollutant. And it’s nitrogen that’s blamed for fish die-offs in Long Island Sound, where the Connecticut river ends. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. A combined sewer overflow outfall in Rutland, VT. When there’s too much rain in the lines, the system starts working differently. Instead of going to the treatment plant, untreated stormwater gets diverted, along with with untreated sewage, straight into the river. Photo by Talyor Dobbs for VPR There’s another nutrient that’s plaguing water quality in New England: phosphorous. It’s linked to toxic blue-green algae blooms in Lake Champlain. But that’s just one of the problems the podcast Brave Little State went to investigate in a recent episode. This people-powered program from Vermont Public Radio asks for listener questions. This month, listener Mike Brown asked, “How are we going to address the aging sewage systems in Vermont?” Angela Evancie and Mike Brown visit a combined sewer overflow outfall on the edge of a cemetary in Rutland, Vermont, with public works commissioner Jeff Wennberg. Photo by Taylor Dobbs for VPR Brown was concerned about sewage overflows that were happening more frequently with big storms and flooding. As it turns out, the problem is linked to climate change and an antique sewer system that in some spots predates the automobile. Our guest is Vermont Public Radio digital reporter Taylor Dobbs, who co-reported the episode with host Angela Evancie and question-asker Mike Brown. Lessons From the Boston Olympics That Wasn’t Residents hold signs before a community meeting in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood in June 2015. Photo courtesy of University Press of New England At the end of July, the city of Los Angeles reached a deal with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2028 Summer Games. L.A. was actually competing with Paris to host the 2024 Olympics, but L.A. officials agreed to wait four more years, with Paris hosting in 2024.  Back in 2015,  before the US Olympic Committee set its sights on L.A, it chose Boston. But the Boston 2024 project was beset by problems, including lack of transparency about costs, and a snow storm that brought the subway system to a grinding halt. (The Boston Globe has a helpful timeline of the Olympic bid.) In July, 2015, Mayor Marty Walsh announced he would not sign a contract that would promise taxpayer funding for Olympic costs overruns, and the Olympic bid came to an end. Our next guests are some of Boston 2024’s most outspoken skeptics. Chris Dempsey is a co-founder of the movement No Boston Olympics, previously served as assistant transportation secretary for Massachusetts, and is now the director of the nonprofit Transportation for Massachusetts. Andrew Zimbalist teaches economics at Smith College and studies public financing of sports events. Demspey and Zimbalist are co-authors of the new book, No Boston Olympics: How and Why Smart Cities Are Passing on the Torch. While the majority of public opinion in Boston had turned against hosting the games by the time the city dropped the bid, not everyone was happy to see their hometown pass on the Olympic experience. For another perspective, we speak with Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung, who covered the Olympic debate closely. Break It Down, Build It Up After aluminum is melted down (above) chemists inject additives to ensure the alloy is correct for can “body stock.” The material is then cast into giant slabs, which weigh thousands of pounds and are very thick. Those slabs are then milled down to a very thin body, which is cooled and coiled before it gets shipped to can makers. Photo courtesy of Constellium – Muscle Shoals, AL Maler Gardner Waldeier, aka “Bus Huxley,” in his Waterford, Maine workshop. Photo by John Kalish for NENC Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut all have bottle bills. Those are recycling programs built around a system of deposits and refunds, aimed at reducing litter and protecting the environment. But when it comes to old aluminum, it’s not just environmentalists who want to see more recycling: there’s a business case to be made for it, too. WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports. There’s a thriving scene on YouTube where woodworkers, metalworkers and other “makers” provide a step-by-step guide to their process. In Waterford, Maine a maker named Gardner Waldeier — who calls himself “Bus Huxley” — has been entertaining viewers with equal portions of Yankee ingenuity and video wizardry. Jon Kalish reports. Below: Gardner Waldeier demonstrates how to butcher a deer. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Taylor Dobbs, Angela Evancie, Jon Kalish, Patrick Skahill Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and DIY videos to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Untreated spinal conditions, rusty medical equipment, and a fly infestation are a few of the complaints alleged by a group of doctors at the VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. We speak with a reporter who’s following the story. And a Massachusetts man, in prison for murder, fights to get a new trial after over 30 years in prison. Plus, we bring you the brief and fascinating history of a little-known anti-immigration party that swept the Massachusetts government in 1854, and more. Darrell “Diamond” Jones, a man convicted of murder more than three decades ago, is seeking a new trial. He appeared at a hearing in a Fall River, Massachusetts courtroom Tuesday. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Casting Doubt Darrell “Diamond” Jones was convicted of the 1985 murder of alleged Cuban cocaine dealer Guillermo Rodriguez in Brockton, Massachusetts. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR There was dramatic testimony during an unusual hearing in a Fall River, Massachusetts courtroom on Tuesday. Darrell Jones, a man convicted of murder more than three decades ago, is seeking a new trial. Tuesday’s hearing raised questions of racial bias by jurors. And a key juror who alleged the discrimination said that she was never summoned to court to testify. WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman has the story. Last year, Bruce Gellerman and Jenifer McKim of the New England Center for Investigative Reporting collaborated on an investigation of Darrell Jones’ case. Carol DiPirro talks with neighbor Andrea Inamorati about a health survey following water contamination in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Photo by Emily Corwin for NHPR Over a year ago, residents near Merrimack, New Hampshire learned their drinking water had been contaminated by emissions from a nearby plastics plant. The chemicals found in area wells, known as PFAs, have been linked to thyroid disease, cancer, immune system changes, and other health problems. Some residents there now say state and federal officials still aren’t doing enough to protect them. A few neighbors are taking things into their own hands. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin reports. Every day, nearly a million commuters travel on the Northeast Corridor — the rail network between Washington, D.C. and Boston. Many of those passengers cross over a small river in the coastal city of Norwalk, Connecticut. But the only way for a train to get across that river is via a 120-year-old “swing bridge,” which rotates to let boats pass. And sometimes that bridge gets stuck mid-swing, causing chaos for commuters. State officials want to replace the deteriorating bridge, but locals worry about collateral damage. WNPR’s Ryan Caron King reports. Un-Cared For Ed Kois, one of the doctors who went public with allegations of substandard care at the Manchester VA. Photo by Peter Biello for NHPR The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire has come under fire for allegedly delaying care to some patients with spine conditions, resulting in their paralysis. Whistleblowers also allege that the purchase of important medical equipment had been delayed because of budgetary concerns. And the medical center has been struggling with an infestation of flies for at least a decade. These were some of the concerns doctors brought to VA investigators, who took no action. But when these same concerns were reported by the Boston Globe Spotlight Team, response from the VA was swift. Our guest Peter Biello covers veterans affairs for New Hampshire Public Radio and has been following the story as it develops. Reggie Moton of Hartford, Connecticut suffers from depression and substance use disorder. Moton was homeless for 20 years before a nonprofit called Journey Home found him this apartment in 2016. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Between a quarter and a third of homeless people have a mental illness, and roughly that same percentage suffers from substance abuse disorder. Columnist Susan Campbell, who writes about housing and homelessness for the New England News Collaborative, told us the story of one man, Reggie Moton, who fits both of these categories. Campbell says Moton illustrates the years of systemic neglect of mentally ill homeless people in New England. Read Susan Campbell’s column and watch a video interview with Reggie Moton below. Know Nothings The flag of the mid 19th Century American Party. The party was commonly known as the Know Nothing Party because when asked about their secretive meetings, members were instructed to reply, “I know nothing.” Back in January, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh spoke in defiance of President Trump’s executive order promising to strip funding from so-called sanctuary cities — cities like Boston, where local police do not detain or question anyone based solely on their immigration status. At a press conference, Walsh said immigrants fearing deportation could live in City Hall if they wished. And as we’ve reported, leaders of other Massachusetts cities have embraced immigrant-friendly policies. But back in the 1850s, a new political party — formed in opposition to waves of European immigrants — swept to power in Boston and other Massachusetts cities, and captured the state legislature by a landslide. Anna Fisher-Pinkert tells the story of the Massachusetts Know Nothing Party. The piece was originally produced for the Commonwealth Museum in Boston. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Peter Biello, Susan Campbell, Ryan Caron King, Emily Corwin, Bruce Gellerman, Anna Fisher-Pinkert Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads and photos of your favorite New England bridge to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lyme disease has been on the rise in New England, and early data suggests this is a particularly risky summer. We speak with a doctor who’s been trying to track the history, and discuss why preventing transmission can be so tricky. And we consider an immigration ruling by the high court in Massachusetts and how it may come into conflict with Trump administration directives. Plus, a 400-mile kayak trip, and other recreational opportunities. Before they hitch a ride on a deer, the majority of ticks that carry Lyme disease in the Northeast are actually infected by white-footed mice. Ecologists predicted a rise in Lyme disease cases this year after observing an explosion in the mouse population last summer. Photo by Stephen Reiss for NPR Free to Go John Adams Courthouse, home of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Photo by Joe Difazio for WBUR Tuesday night, the Trump administration took its first step toward making good on the President’s pledge to defund so-called sanctuary cities. The Department of Justice announced new rules for cities and states to receive the agency’s largest federal grant to local law enforcement-  the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. Starting in the fall, cities and states that want the grant will have to agree to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into local jails. Local law enforcement would also have to give ICE 48 hours notice before releasing someone who would otherwise be free to go – if immigration enforcement has expressed interest in that person. That means jails essentially detaining individuals on behalf of the federal government.  But according to a ruling in Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court Monday, that kind of detention is not legal in the Bay State.  To help us understand the ruling and reactions by Massachusetts officials, we’re joined  by WBUR immigration reporter Shannon Dooling. Law enforcement practices for reporting unauthorized immigrants vary across New England states. Listen to Episode 35 to learn more. Bullseye Rash Blues Whether you’re planning a weekend camping trip or just hanging out in your backyard, warm-weather fun in New England is tempered by a tiny threat: the deer tick. Ecologists have predicted this summer will be a particularly risky one for Lyme disease, and early data is showing a rise in infections. You’ve probably heard the standard advice: wear long pants when you go into the woods, use bug spray with DEET, and check yourself for ticks when you get home. But other attempts to control the disease – like developing a vaccine or reducing tick habitat, have faltered. Our guest, Dr. David Scales is a physician at Cambridge Health alliance and Harvard Medical School. These days he’s also a reporter. His series for WBUR’s Commonhealth is called “Losing to Lyme.” Below: Dr. Scales tips for avoiding ticks may go above and beyond what you’ve previously been told. Home Away From Home Bella Merlin and Deaon Griffin-Pressley, in the production of Cymbeline. Photo by Stratton McCrady for Shakespeare and Co. For our final segment, it’s time for some summer fun. First up: one of the nation’s largest Shakespeare festivals is a New England institution, and is celebrating a big anniversary this year. Shakespeare & Company in Lenox Mass is 40 years old. As Rebecca Sheir reports, the company has seen its share of dramatics, both on, and off stage. Next, we go to Zeno Mountain in Lincoln Vermont. That’s where two brothers, and their wives, started a summer camp with wheelchair-accessible treehouses for developmentally disabled adults and their friends. Reporter Jon Kalish paid a visit. Campers at Zeno Mountain Farm spend a month living in the woods, performing, making films and taking care of one another. Photo by Jon Kalish for VPR Some campers at Zeno Mountain Farm bunk in wheelchair-accessible “treehouses.” Photo by Jon Kalish for VPR A flotilla of kayakers paddle down the Connecticut River, just south of Orford, NH, as part of a 400-mile journey from ‘Source to Sea.’ Photo by Todd Bookman for NHPR Finally, to the head of New England’s longest river, just a few hundred yards from the Canadian border. This month, a group of river-lovers are paddling all 400 miles of the Connecticut to highlight it’s importance and beauty. As NHPR’s Todd Bookman reports, the Connecticut has come a long way from the 1950s, when it was nicknamed “The Most Beautiful Sewer in America.” Below: A documentary about Dr. Joseph Davidson’s 1959 journey from the Connecticut’s source to the Long Island Sound, which inspired the modern-day kayak trip. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, David Scales, Rebecca Sheir, Jon Kalish, and Todd Bookman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and pictures of your tick bites to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England has been waiting for years for real, high speed rail to get travelers more quickly from New York to Boston, but the path of that new line caused big headaches in some small towns. Federal railroad officials have now backed off part of a new high speed rail plan — listen for our update. And it may be easier to keep a railroad from intruding on your property than a more dogged adversary: beavers. Plus, we visit an ultra-low energy use apartment building that’s so well insulated you can turn off your heat in February — in Maine. A beaver lodge on a pond in a housing development in New Hampshire. Photo by Logan Shannon for NHPR Train Delays The John Sill House in Old Lyme was built in the early 1800s. Advocates rallied against plans for a rail bypass that would go through the historic section of the town. One of the early plans included a bridge that would fly over the house. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC The Federal Railroad Administration says it’s moving forward with a plan to bring high speed rail to the Northeast. That would shorten travel from Boston to New York City by 45 minutes. But to reach those time savings, the FRA proposed building a controversial new track that would have cut across historic landmarks and protected lands between New Haven, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island. Last week, the FRA released a decision that removed that stretch from the plans. WSHU’s Cassandra Basler joins us to talk about the decision, and what it means for the future of high speed rail in New England. To learn more about the public pushback against the FRA plan in Connecticut and Rhode Island, check out Episode 41. The FRA plan forestalls any decision on a revised rail route from New Haven to Providence, and it calls for further study. Image courtesy FRA Building More, to Burn Less New England is at a time of big change in the way we get our energy. Aggressive goals to cut carbon emissions have meant a move toward more renewable sources of power. But the shift from burning fossil fuels to harvesting sun and wind power comes with challenges in a region where it’s not always easy to find space for big energy projects. The New England News Collaborative is covering these changes in a project we call The Big Switch. Randolph-based Catamount Solar is installing an 8.7 kilowatt system in a homeowner’s yard in East Montpelier, Vermont. Kestrel Marcel is connecting the optimizers, which are a converter technology that helps maximize the energy harvested from the panels. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR Farmer Kevin Sullivan rents a portion of his Suffield, Connecticut farmland to a solar company. “The money that comes off that acreage exceeds anything else I could do out there,” he says. Photo by Patrick Skahill for WNPR Vermont has been leading the way on solar energy for years. It’s got a small population, but big goals for renewable energy. That’s meant more competition in the solar installation field — with big national companies coming in to fight local companies for customers. As VPR’s Kathleen Masterson reports, that competition comes at a tricky time. While Vermont has been pushing more residential solar, other states see the promise of solar panels helping to preserve dwindling farmland. As WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports, solar energy is providing many farmers, particularly in the southern part of our region — with new opportunities, and questions. Bayside Anchor is an affordable passive housing development in Portland, Maine. Photo by Fred Bever for Maine Public And there’s innovation on the other side of the power equation, too. A new type of energy-efficient construction is drawing attention in the U.S. It’s called “passive housing” — residences built to achieve ultra-low energy use. It’s so efficient that developers can eliminate central heating systems altogether. Imported from Germany, it’s been a boutique building style until recently, with eco-minded home owners making costly upfront investments to downsize their carbon footprints. But now, New England is joining a surge in large-scale passive housing development. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports. Fred Gordon opens a panel in the wall of his unit at the Distillery North Apartments in Boston to show the heat recovery ventilator. It provides fresh air, transferring 95 percent of the heat collected from the apartment and recirculating it with cold air from outside. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR. Gnawing Pains Are you smarter than a beaver? Photo by Steve via Wikimedia Commons In a recent episode, we met a team of researchers who are harvesting some trees in the Vermont forest in effort to restore biodiversity. But what if you could get animals to do the job for you? When it comes to wetlands, a new study in Scotland shows beavers are habitat restoration pros, due to their dam-building instinct. Since their introduction a decade ago, one small beaver family turned 30 acres of pasture into a network of canals and ponds, increasing plant species by nearly 50 percent. Yet that same industriousness can cause floods that spell disaster for homeowners here in New England, where beaver were reintroduced about 100 years ago. Some trap the big rodents. Others try to outwit them. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sam Evans-Brown reports. Get the full story, along with photos and videos from Outside/In, the podcast from NHPR about the outside world and how we use it. Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Cassandra Basler, Ryan Caron King, Fred Bever, Patrick Skahill, Kathleen Masterson, Sam Evans-Brown Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and beaver management tips to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Hampshire state parole board often addresses inmates using “indelicate language.” Is it defensible? Plus, an investigation into the long-term fallout from Rhode Island’s disastrous deal with former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. And, we look back at the history of the Newport Folk Festival, and Vermont’s short-lived gold rush. The Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams in July 2014. Photo by Matthew Bennett via Flickr Business of the State A parole hearing at New Hampshire’s State Prison for Men in Concord. Photo by Emily Corwin for NHPR New Hampshire’s criminal justice system has just one parole board. Its nine members decide which inmates get out on parole, and which parolees return to prison. While hearings are open to the public, they take place with little oversight or public scrutiny. As New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin reports, unlike most legal proceedings – these can be surprisingly unrefined affairs. A warning: this story contains crude language. There’s more to come from Emily Corwin on parole in New Hampshire. Stay tuned to NEXT or follow @emilycorwin on Twitter. Retired Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling autographs a baseball for a sailor during a USO-sponsored visit. Photo by Seth Coulter for the U.S. Navy Red Sox fans across New England remember Curt Schilling. The star pitcher helped lead the team to two world series titles. Since his playing career ended, though, there hasn’t been as much cheering. He was fired from his job as an analyst for ESPN after a series of controversial social media comments about Muslims and transgender people. The staunch conservative now has his own online radio show on Breitbart.com. But in the state of Rhode Island, he’s also remembered for a disastrous public financing deal. The state invested $75 million in taxpayer money in Schilling’s video game company, 38 Studios, and lost it all before a lawsuit clawed back most of the money. A screen grab from 38 Studio’s only video game, Kingdoms of Amular, via YouTube It was one of the worst financial decisions in Rhode Island history. Yet as Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ian Donnis reports, the company that served as the state’s financial adviser on the deal has continued doing business throughout Rhode Island. Live at Newport! Courtesy of Wesleyan University Press At the end of this month, 10,000 music lovers will descend on Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island for the Newport Folk Festival. Through the years, the festival has been a focal point for discussions of what “authentic” folk music truly is. And in turn, Newport has shaped the public’s image of American folk music for more than half a century. We spoke with Rick Massimo, author of the new book I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival. As a reporter at the Providence Journal, Massimo covered the festival for nine years.  Below: Bob Dylan performs “Mr. Tambourine Man” at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, introduced by Pete Seeger. According to Rick Massimo, Dylan’s decision to perform a song with a personal, rather than political theme represented a departure from the festival’s first years, and set the stage for his historic electric performance of “Like a Rolling Stone” in 1965. Libraries and Gold Mines Today’s libraries are more than just repositories for books. Pianist Emory Smith performed as part of the Hartford Public Library’s Baby Grand Jazz series last year. Photo courtesy of Hartford Public Library Without a state budget in place, Connecticut is operating under executive order. Governor Dannel Malloy has made cuts to get state finances in line. Among those cuts are funds for local libraries. Elsewhere in New England, public libraries are also struggling to maintain core programs like inter-library book exchanges. Tom Verde reports. Stick a shovel in New England soil and you’re bound to hit rocks. But what if some of those rocks could make you rich? The allure of the 1849 California Gold Rush drove many Vermonters west — though very few made any money. Vermont gold miners in the 1850s. Photo by E.G.Davis, courtesy of the Plymouth Historical Society But the story goes that two of those men returned to Vermont and realized that the topography of the Plymouth-Bridgewater area, east of Killington Peak, was similar to a hotspot for gold in the Sierra Nevada. In the 1850s, a small but vibrant community grew up around a gold mining operation in the Plymouth-Bridgewater area of Vermont. Called Plymouth Five Corners, it had a hotel, a school and a dance hall. Photo by E. G. Davis, courtesy Plymouth Historical Society To this day, you can still walk through the forest and poke around the remnants of the old mines that were established during Vermont’s own gold rush.  For the podcast Brave Little State, Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson took a tour of one old mine with Nelson Illinski, a gold panning hobbyist and a self-taught Vermont gold historian. About NEXT Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Ian Donnis, Carmen Baskauf, Tom Verde, Kathleen Masterson Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, the Gorillaz Odetta, Bob Dylan, the Indigo Girls, the Avett Brothers,  and Jalen N’Gonda Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, questions, reflections and gold flakes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we hear some stories and interviews from our archives. We find out what a Reveal/APM Reports investigation tells us about police de-escalation training in New England, and visit police in New Hampshire who are reaching out to children who’ve been traumatized by witnessing crime. We also explore the work of Marsden Hartley, whose art defined the rocky coast, the looming hills, and the working men of Maine. Plus we visit New England’s biggest flea market, where the people are as fascinating as the stuff on display. A lobster made from horseshoes at the Brimfield Antiques Flea Market. Photo by Ziwei Zhang De-Escalation Many of the high-profile police shootings of the last few years across the U.S. have a disturbing common thread: they happen within a few minutes, or even a few seconds, after police arrive on the scene. Several states require “de-escalation” training for their police officers. It’s meant to avoid situations where deadly force is viewed as the only resort. Officer Jennifer Lazarchic at a police training session in March 2016. Photo by Courtney Perry for MPR News In New England, three of our six states have such mandates: Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Still, training requirements, and how well they are carried out, vary from state to state. Below: An interactive map from APM Reports. A recent episode of Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting worked with APM Reports to examine de-escalation state by state. Our guest is APM Reports correspondent Curtis Gilbert, author of the report “Not Trained to Not Kill.” We dig into the details and learn how New England states measure up. Types of police calls the Manchester ACERT team responded to July 2016 through March 2017. Graphic by Sara Plourde for NHPR When police respond to a domestic violence call or a drug overdose, children are often on the scene when officers arrive. Manchester, New Hampshire police found that in 2015, 400 children had been on-scene during such calls. Research shows that children exposed to trauma are more likely to be violent — and victims of violence — later in life. So Manchester police officers are trying something new: returning to the scene of such crises to see if they can help. The first-of-its-kind program is called ACERT: Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin reports. Marsden Hartley’s Maine Mt. Katahdin in Maine, Autumn -2 by Marsden Hartley, 1939-40, Metropolitan Museum of Art Portrait of Marsden Hartley by Carl Van Vechten, U.S. Library of Congress In the permanent collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum, the nation’s oldest art museum in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, is a painting by Marsden Hartley called “Down East Young Blades,” depicting three colorful figures standing on a pier. Massive, strapping, working men with comically broad shoulders are pictured with the images of their trade: lobsters, fish, and logs. Hartley’s career, stretching from the early years of the 20th century to his death in 1943, celebrated the vast and wild scenery of New England; specifically, his home state of Maine. The exhibition “Marsden Hartley’s Maine” will be featured at the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine July 8 through November 12, 2017. (“Downeast Young Blades” is on loan from the Wadsworth for the exhibition). Our guest Donna Cassidy, Professor of Art and American and New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine, co-authored the exhibition book about the artist’s relationship with the Pine Tree State. Fiddlers and Peddlers Of the 530 refugees who arrived in the New Haven metro area last year, more than 270 were children. Many have just finished their first year in school in the United States. WNPR’s Diane Orson reports on an arts program that’s partnered with the region’s resettlement agency to create a special after-school violin class for the young refugees. A piece of “folk art” made from a carousel horse and a mannequin. Photo by Ziwei Zhang In the 1954 film Brigadoon, the protagonists discover a magical village that only appears for one day every hundred years. Brimfield, Massachusetts is kind of like that. The town only has about 3,500 permanent residents. But for a week in each of May, July, and September, the town transforms into a bustling tent city known as the Brimfield Antique Flea Market. The market dates back to the 1950s and today boasts over 250,000 visitors, stretching half a mile down Route 20. The next show will run July 11 to July 16. At a market like this, the stuff comes with stories, and NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin found plenty on her visit last September. Be sure to check out the slideshow below. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Alexandra Oshinskie, and Diane Orson Music: Todd Merrell, Lightning on a Blue Sky by Twin Musicom, New England by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Family and Genus” by Shakey Graves, “The Mountain” by the Heartless Bastards, “A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your own flea market finds to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Ciccolo — a 24-year-old who was arrested two years ago in Adams, Massachusetts on charges of attempting domestic terrorism — is back in the news. His mother spoke with our reporter Jill Kaufman. Later in the show, we take a look inside the world of eel trafficking in Maine, and learn about an effort on Martha’s Vineyard to help small fishermen get a foothold. Plus, we discover the surprising origins of a body pulled in by a fishing boat off the coast of Cape Cod, and explore our region’s ambiguous relationship with inclusivity through the arts. On the fishing boat Diversion, Marvin Benitez dumps a pail full of crabs into a bin for preparation for sale to seafood retailers and restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard. Government-issued permits for fishing rights can be expensive, but nonprofit permit banks are leasing them to small fishermen at lower rates. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR In Despair, and Angry Shelley MacInnes holds pictures of her son, Alex Ciccolo, who faces domestic terrorism charges. Photo by Jill Kaufman for NEPR Alex Ciccolo, 24, of Adams, Massachusetts, has been in federal custody since July 4, 2015. He’s charged with attempting to commit domestic terrorism. Ciccolo’s father is a Boston police captain, and was among the first responders at the 2013 marathon bombings. He was the one who tipped off federal officials his son was becoming “obsessed” with ISIS. That led to an FBI sting, where Ciccolo described to a government informant his plans to explode pressure cooker bombs in a crowded place. After Ciccolo’s arrest, his father made a single statement to the public. His mother, Shelley MacInnes, has kept an even lower profile, until recently. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports. Below, Alex Ciccolo is interviewed by the FBI hours after his 2015 arrest. Reporter Trevor Aaronson of The Intercept has been investigating the connections between domestic terrorism charges that have led to 800 arrests since 9-11. He told Jill Kaufman how Alex Ciccolo fits into the mix. Hauling It In Dutcher’s Dock in Menemsha, Martha’s Vineyard. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR The Massachusetts fishing industry in recent years has taken a beating. Stiff regulations and expensive fishing permits are making it difficult for small fishermen to stay above water. A nonprofit in Martha’s Vineyard now wants to help by acquiring fishing permits, and leasing them at subsidized rates to emerging fishermen. WBUR’s Simon Rios reports. What’s slippery, see-through, and goes for $1,300 a pound? Listeners in coastal Maine probably know the answer. Our guest Rene Ebersole is a contributing writer for National Geographic and a reporter for the Food and Environment Reporting Network. Her recent article: “Inside the Multi-Million Dollar World of Eel Trafficking.” Glass eels are American eels in their juvenile phase. The price per pound of these animals jumped from $99.94 in 2009 to $891.49 in 2011. In 2012, it went over $1,800. Alvah Wendell, 43, rhythmically swishes his dip net to catch young eels as they swim up the Bagaduce River in Maine. He uses a green headlamp because white light spooks the fish. “You don’t need to see them to catch them,” he says. “But I like to watch.” Photo by Sarah Rice for National Geographic  The little eels are destined for aquaculture farms in Asia, where they’re later harvested for sushi. The demand for American eels skyrocketed earlier this decade, because the European Union banned eel exports in 2010. European and Asian eels are considered superior to American. The 2011 tsunami, which damaged Japan’s fishery, also had an impact. Eels transform from leaf-shaped larvae into two-inch elongated juveniles with haunting eyes and a visible spine just before they swim from the ocean up freshwater rivers. Photo by Sarah Rice for National Geographic These days, if you’re in the eel-catching business, Maine is the place to be. Fishing for American eels is illegal in every other East Coast state, except for South Carolina and Florida, where fisheries are small. High prices have led to poaching. In March, two Maine fishermen, Bill Sheldon and Timothy Lewis, were indicted for illegally trafficking wildlife. Sheldon could face a maximum of 35 years in prison. The Hera II, sister ship to the vessel that brought in a very unexpected catch last year. Both boats are draggers, trailing nets that scrape the ocean floor for groundfish. Photo by Andy Short Whether you’re catching eel swimming upstream or haddock in the Atlantic, the work of fishing can get monotonous. On an early December morning, that routine was upended for the crew of the Hera, a commercial groundfishing boat from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Andy Short has the tale. Craving more fishy news? Listen to our own Episode 35: Outfished. You’ll learn about Carlos Rafael, a.k.a. “the Codfather” — the New Bedford fishing magnate who in March plead guilty to 28 counts of fraud. (On a side note, Rafael just happens to be the owner of the Hera). Making Good Neighbors Juan De La Cruz comforts his youngest daughter, Isabella, at their home in Vergennes, Vermont. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR A Vermont father of six is facing deportation to Mexico in a case that highlights shifting federal immigration enforcement priorities. Juan De La Cruz came to the U.S. illegally over a decade ago, and later married a U.S. citizen. They formed a family and a farm business together, and Juan obtained a federal work authorization permit. But a previous deportation on his record now makes De La Cruz a target for ICE. Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson has the story. Visiting the ICA on vacation from Colombia, Maria Alejandra Garcia Velez and her daughter Maria Jose Cortes Garcia, 9, approach the shoelace work by Nari Ward, “We the People.” Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Life often inspires art, and art in turn often reflects society. In a time of divisive political discourse, especially around immigration, an art show currently featured at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art opens up a space for dialogue. The exhibit offers museum-goers a glimpse into the naturalization process and what it means to be, and to become, American. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling takes us there. Thea Alvin is a “dry mason,” meaning she builds stone walls without using mortar. Photo by Amy Noyes for VPR Of course, we know that New Englanders have, and have always had a rocky relationship with inclusivity. For instance, the famous line from Robert Frost’s 1912 poem “Mending Wall” — “Good fences make good neighbors” — has been used to describe Yankee culture. But building stone walls like the one in Frost’s poem has become something of a dying art. Stonemason Thea Alvin explained to Vermont Edition how she builds her walls for their series “Summer School.” About NEXT Do you have a question about New England you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Simon Rios, Andy Short, Kathleen Masterson, Shannon Dooling, Amy Noyes. Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Special thanks this week to Jane Lindholm at Vermont Edition Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, questions, reflections and wildlife trafficking tips to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: New Hampshire’s largest addiction recovery organization faces allegations of dysfunction and verbal abuse, and Boston considers whether to allow a facility where drug users can inject under medical supervision. Plus, we take a big-picture look at casino gambling in New England, and meet a Connecticut biologist who’s trying to breed a hardier honey bee. Former employees at Hope for New Hampshire Recovery told NHPR that staff did not receive proper training and the organization inflated the numbers of its clients, among other issues. Photo by Paige Sutherland for NHPR Public Health Under the Lens Over the past few years, New Hampshire has been grappling with an opioid crisis. The state estimates that more than 1,600 people have died from opioid overdoses since 2011. Former U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (center), State Senator Dan Feltes (left) and the former New Hampshire Drug Czar attended the ribbon cutting at Hope for New Hampshire Recovery’s new Concord center last May. Photo by Paige Sutherland for NHPR Peer-support centers — where people trying to get clean work with counselors with previous experience of addiction — have been key players in New Hampshire’s fight against this epidemic. A nonprofit called HOPE for New Hampshire Recovery is the largest such organization. But the non-profit’s growth from one modest space in Manchester to seven recovery centers statewide hasn’t gone smoothly. Several employees quit, claiming they were mistreated. There are allegations that staffers used, and at times, sold drugs at work. One center has closed. After New Hampshire Public Radio’s Paige Sutherland reported these allegations earlier this month, governor Chris Sununu told reporters his administration was investigating allegations against Hope for New Hampshire Recovery. You can follow the evolving story at nhpr.org. In Boston, advocates for people with addiction are asking the city for permission to launch something that sounds radical: a facility where people could inject drugs under medical supervision. The only such supervised injection facility, or SIF, in North America is in Vancouver, Canada, but efforts are underway to legalize them in several states. Screenshot via slide presentation from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Boston already has a place where drug users can come to ride out a high monitored by nurses, but no actual drug use is permitted at the site. The Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment, or SPOT, opened last year. But if the first public hearing is any indication, supporters of rooms where drug users would inject under medical supervision have a long road ahead of them. WBUR’s Martha Bebinger reports. A representative from Hep C Hope, a campaign from the pharmaceutical company Gilead, gives advice about Hepatitis C testing to passersby. Photo by Casey McDermott for NHPR In its 94th year, the Laconia Motorcycle Week prides itself on being the world’s oldest motorcycle rally. As the rally ages, however, so too has its main demographic. But pharmaceutical companies and health organizations are seeing a silver lining in this shift — and are seizing on this new chance to reach aging bikers in their element. New England States Carve Up the Gambling Pie Back in April, in Episode 36, we brought you the story of a cross-border gambling war. Construction was moving along at the site of a $950 million MGM resort casino in Springfield, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, two Native American tribes — both casino operators in Connecticut — were hoping to build a third casino in the state, just 14 miles south of the MGM site, in the town of East Windsor. The Mohegans, who operate Mohegan Sun, and the Mashantucket Pequots, who run Foxwoods, argued that if nothing was done, they would lose customers to MGM. That would hurt not just the tribes, they said, but also the state, which receives 25 percent of the tribes’ gambling revenues. An artist’s rendering of the MGM Springfield resort casino, with hotel rotunda in front view. The original plan included a glass skyscraper, but was modified after pushback from locals. Image courtesy of MGM Springfield MGM sued the state, claiming a deal between the state and tribes would put them at a competitive disadvantage. Earlier this month, Connecticut lawmakers approved that third casino. And on Wednesday, a federal appeals court threw out MGM’s lawsuit, though the company has promised to continue their legal fight. In this week’s show, we revisit Springfield, where the MGM resort casino spans three blocks in the city’s downtown. The project’s backers say the casino will bring in not only tax dollars, but needed foot traffic. But the story is much bigger than MGM and the Connecticut tribes. The vacant Showcase Cinemas in East Windsor, Connecticut is the site where Connecticut’s Mohengan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes plan to build a casino to compete with MGM Springfield. Photo by Henry Epp for NEPR Casinos have been springing up across the northeast in recent years, a stark contrast to just 15 years ago, when Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods were the only casinos in New England, competing with Atlantic City for New York gamblers. So will there be any winners in this cross-border war? Is our small region nearing gambling over-saturation? Joining us to help answer these questions is Clyde Barrow, a consultant who researches gambling for governments and private industry. Earlier this year, he produced several reports on behalf of MMCT, the joint venture between the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes. Hearty Bees; Healthy Kids Scientists in Connecticut are importing bees with strong genes that may make them more likely to resist pests and disease. Photo by Patrick Skahill for WNPR Scientist Richard Cowles, research assistant Ethan Paine, State Bee Inspector Mark Creighton and research assistant Ellie Clark. The group spent the day “de-queening” hives to prepare them for the arrival of new, specially bred honey bees. Photo by Patrick Skahill for WNPR Honey bees have been having a tough time lately. Pests and disease have plagued many hives, killing off the pollinators. As WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports, one scientist in Connecticut is pinning his hopes on bee genes. Richard Cowles is tracking down honey bee “survivors” in the hopes of spreading their DNA. For many New Englanders, swimming is learned early and central to summer fun. But for children who are new to the United States and still learning English, swimming can be a completely foreign concept. Sandra (right) says she got into the water for the first time in an after-school program. Back in Nepal and India, her family had never set foot in a swimming pool. Photo courtesy of Doug Bishop for the Greater Burlington YMCA Many children who come to Vermont as refugees are from cultures where swimming isn’t practiced. That could be for religious guidelines that necessitate that bodies remain covered, or it could be that open water is simply too dangerous. A water safety program in Burlington teaches New American children how to be safe, and have fun, in the water. VPR’s Kathleen Masterson has more. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Paige Sutherland, Martha Bebinger, Casey McDermott, Patrick Skahill, Kathleen Masterson Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Let My Baby Ride” by R.L. Burnside, “Stories We Build, Stories We Tell” by Jose Gonzalez, “Down the Line” by Romare Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send critique, suggestions, questions, reflections and videos of your backyard bees to next@wnpr.org. Do you have a question you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the closure of  Massachusetts’ last coal fired power plant last month, some South Coast towns are pinning their hopes on offshore wind. Plus, we’ve heard the stories about immigrant farm workers facing deportation – but what is their daily life like? And why do they make the risky journey to Vermont? And, decades after the AIDS crisis hit, residents of Provincetown remember the impact on their community. The Dynegy coal burning power plant at Brayton Point in Somerset, MA ceased operations in May 31. Only three coal-fired power plants remain operational in New England.  Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR Try and Catch the Wind President Trump wants to bring back coal production in America. But here in New England, demand for coal is dwindling. Massachusetts Representative Pat Haddad (D- Somerset) used to call herself the “Queen of Coal.” Now, she tells WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman, she’s the “Witch of Wind.” Photo by Ben Storrow for E&E News Bryant Point, the last coal-fired power plant in Massachusetts — and the largest in New England — shut down permanently at the end of May. Now, two power plants in New Hampshire, and one in Connecticut are the only coal-powered facilities left in the region. Connecticut’s Bridgeport Harbor Station plant is scheduled to close in 2021. For more than 50 years, the massive Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset has generated electricity fueled by shiploads of coal from as far away as Colombia and South Africa. The shutdown marks a victory for environmentalists, but leaves a huge hole in Somerset’s tax base and a potentially a bigger problem for ratepayers across the region, as WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman reports. For more on coal’s demise in New England, and the promise of offshore wind, we turn to Ben Storrow, reporter for Energy & Environment News. Storrow says Somerset and nearby New Bedford are hoping that offshore wind farms planned for south of Martha’s Vineyard will give them an economic boost.  On the Farm, Far from Home Recent estimates suggest that there are around 14 hundred foreign-born Latino workers and their family members in Vermont. The state’s agriculture industry relies heavily on these workers, most of whom are in the country illegally. With an increase in deportations for noncriminal immigrants since the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency in January, many farmworkers are on edge. In March, the Vermont legislature passed a law that limits the ability of local law enforcement to work with federal immigration authorities. That same month, ICE arrested three immigration activists in Burlington. Six immigrant farm workers share this house on the property of the dairy where they work 72 hours per week. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR Against this backdrop, a listener named Hannah Lindner-Finlay submitted a question to the Brave Little State podcast from Vermont Public Radio. She wondered “What’s it like to be a migrant worker in Vermont?” To help answer Lindner-Finaly’s question, VPR reporter Kathleen Masterson interviewed Spanish-speaking dairy workers about their lives. We have excerpts from her reporting in this week’s program. Kathleen also joins us in the studio to talk about the economic forces that bring Mexican farm workers to Vermont. (In the Brave Little State podcast, you’ll also meet seasonal vegetable pickers from Jamaica.) Do you have a question you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here. “It Was a Seismic Earthquake” A page from the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod’s “Great Book,” a leather bound journal in which the names of those who’ve died are documented by year. Photo by Sophie Kazis for the Transom Story Workshop When the AIDS epidemic hit the United States in the 1980s, Provincetown, Massachusetts – long a haven for New England’s LGBT community – was especially impacted. In the first fifteen years of the crisis, 10 percent of the town’s year-round population died. The Provincetown Cultural Council recently announced plans to move forward with an AIDS memorial there, a plan that’s been in the works for years. Freelance producer Sophie Kazis spoke with survivors about what they lost, what they built, and the impact of AIDS on this small, close-knit beach town. Sophie’s story comes to us from the Transom Story Workshop. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Bruce Gellerman, Kathleen Masterson, and Sophie Kazis Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, reflections and whittled pieces of driftwood to next@wnpr.org. Got a question you’d like NEXT to investigate? Tell us about it here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we have stories about immigrants facing misunderstandings and confusion in their interactions with the criminal justice system. Plus, the popular Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale” prompts us to look back at the New England Puritan culture that provided the underpinnings for Margaret Atwood’s dystopia. And we take in nature’s bounty at one of New England’s underappreciated destinations: Long Island Sound. Women dressed like “handmaids” — fertile women forced into sexual slavery in the Hulu drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” — ascend the steps of the New Hampshire statehouse on June 1 to protest a bill that would define a fetus as a person in cases of homicide. Photo by Casey McDermott for NHPR Charged We’ve been following the stories of immigrants to New England who face obstacles while trying to navigate the American law enforcement and criminal justice system. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin is following the story of Joyce Chance, a refugee from the Congo, who’s now out on bail after spending three weeks in jail for charges of child abuse. The state says she’s a danger to her community, but many in that community disagree. As Emily reports, cultural misunderstandings and language barriers are getting in the way. Jose Flores speaks to WBUR about the events leading up to his arrest by federal immigration agents with his wife Rosa Benitez. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR A felony, or even a lesser conviction, could get a refugee like Chance sent out of the country. But what if you’re in the country illegally, and don’t have a criminal record? What if the biggest mark against you is an accident you had on the job? Jose Flores, a Honduran immigrant living in Massachusetts, fractured his femur in March when he fell from a ladder at a Boston construction site. After Flores filed for worker’s compensation, a manager at the construction company that employed him asked for a meeting. Just after the meeting, Flores was apprehended by ICE. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling has been following his story — and what it tells us about the new realities of undocumented workers during the Trump administration. Don’t Hate on Long Island Sound Meigs Point at Hammonasset Beach State Park is a glacial moraine that you can hike across. The boulders here were pushed south from the Connecticut hills during the last ice age. Photo courtesy of Patrick Lynch We’ve heard in recent episodes how nitrogen gets into the Connecticut River, and flows downstream into Long Island Sound. There, it feeds algae, which reduces oxygen in the water, killing off fish and other marine life in a condition called hypoxia. Nitrogen pollution, among other factors, has contributed to the Sound’s less-than-glowing reputation among the region’s waterways. The good news is the overall health of Long Island Sound is improving. Since the EPA implemented a nitrogen reduction program in 2001, hypoxia has decreased by 40 percent, and fish and marine mammals that had been absent or struggling for decades are coming back. A beach at Hammonasset Beach State Park is made up entirely of slipper shells. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NEXT Author, photographer and illustrator Patrick Lynch. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NEXT But while oxygen levels improve, sea level rise and warming waters are causing other changes to the Sound that are much more difficult to reverse. Author Patrick Lynch provides a snapshot of these changes, as well as beautiful illustrations of birds, fish and the variety of habitats along the shore in his new Field Guide to Long Island Sound. We caught up with Lynch at beautiful Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Connecticut. The Handmaid’s Tale and the Puritans New England is both the literal and symbolic the setting of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the hit Hulu drama starring Elisabeth Moss as Offred, a young woman forced into sexual slavery in a dystopian near-future. In the series, the United States has been overthrown and replaced by an oppressive new country called Gilead. The patriarchal leaders have used the near total collapse of fertility in the country to institute a kind of theocracy. The handmaids, including Offred, are women who are still fertile. The series is based on the  eponymous novel by Margaret Atwood, written in 1985 as a response to the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the rise of the Christian right in the United States. With the launch of the Hulu series in April, many have reflected on the series as a commentary on the current political moment. In recent months, women dressed in handmaids’ red cloaks and white bonnets have shown up at state houses to protest legislation that would restrict abortion or grant person-hood to fetuses. But here at NEXT, we were curious about the story’s connections to New England’s Puritan past. In Atwood’s new introduction to the book, she writes: “The Republic of Gilead is built on a foundation of the 17th-century Puritan roots that have always lain beneath the modern-day America we thought we knew.” An illustration depicting the execution of Ann Hibbins for witchcraft on Boston Common in 1656. Public hanging is a common punishment in the Handmaid’s Tale. Sketch by F.T. Merril, 1886. Atwood has said that her setting for the book was inspired by the time she spent as a graduate student at Radcliffe College in Cambridge, then the women’s counterpart to Harvard. She dedicated the novel to Perry Miller, a Harvard scholar of American Puritans with whom she studied, and also to Mary Webster, a Massachusetts woman who was hanged for witchcraft and survived — and may have been one of Atwood’s ancestors. So how closely does the dystopia of “The Handmaid’s Tale” reflect the utopia the Puritans attempted to create on these shores? For answers, we turn to two historians who have studied women, sexuality, and religion in 17th Century New England. Rebecca Tannenbaum is a Senior Lecturer of History at Yale, and Kathy Cooke is a professor of History at Quinnipiac University. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin and Shannon Dooling Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, reflections and story leads to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we hear a few updates on stories from our archives. The Boston Globe Spotlight team shines light on sexual abuse at elite New England boarding schools, and it prompts more investigations and more allegations. Plus, we follow scientists who are recreating ancient forests, and tracking the effects of climate change on moose. And we hear about a program at a rapidly-diversifying New Hampshire high school that aims to build understanding between American-born students and newcomers. Engineering Forests, Tracking Fading Moose In the northeastern U.S., there is less than one percent of old growth forest left. A new University of Vermont study found that harvesting trees in a way that mimics ancient forests not only restores critical habitat, but also stores a surprising amount of carbon. Researchers created this tip-up mound by pulling over this tree with a cable. A downed tree offers a number of habitat niches for small mammals, insects and invertebrates. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR For a forest to be considered “old growth,” it must grow largely undisturbed, usually for several centuries. These ancient forests help foster biodiversity of plants, animal and even fungi — and can help mitigate flooding. University of Vermont ecologist Bill Keeton wanted to see if he could take a “middle-aged” New England forest and “nudge” the forest ecosystem into old growth conditions. Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson went to take a look. UVM forest ecologist Bill Keeton uses a laser rangefinder to measure the height of a tree in UVM’s Jericho Research Forest. The 1990s were a good time to be a moose in New Hampshire. The animals could take advantage of a perfect mix of young and mature forest, and plenty of food. At its peak, the statewide population reached 7,400. But given the lush habitat, scientists wondered why the moose population wasn’t growing faster. Today, there are only about 3,400 moose in New Hampshire, and the same steep decline is being reported in neighboring Vermont and Maine. The culprit? A nasty tick whose proliferation is brought on by climate change. We speak with Kristine Rines, a wildlife biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Rines is leading a four-year study to learn more about how weather changes and forest management practices affect the moose population. Painful Secrets Continue to Come to Light at New England Boarding Schools St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island. Photo by Dina Rudick for the Boston Globe. Another New England private school has come forward with a report detailing sexual abuse of students by staff over decades. Last month, St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire released a report naming 13 former faculty and staff members. According to investigators hired by the school, accusations of sexual misconduct against the 13 — which ranged from inappropriate touching to repeated rape — had been substantiated. The report also includes accounts of misconduct by 10 additional unnamed faculty members. The alleged abuse took place between 1948 and 1988. Steven Starr, a former student at the Fessenden School in Newton, Mass., shows photos of him at 11 taken by teacher James Hallman, who Starr says molested him. Image courtesy of The Boston Globe Spotlight Team. St. Paul’s is the latest school to release its own findings since a Boston Globe Spotlight investigation last year revealed allegations of sexual abuse at more than 67 private schools in New England. Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut named 12 alleged abusers in a report released in April. Joining us is Jonathan Saltzman, a reporter on the Globe Spotlight Team who took part in the investigation. Saltzman also worked on several follow-up pieces, including an article on the report from St. Paul’s School in Concord. We recorded our conversation in April. A Home for Homeless Women Veterans; A Global Outlook at Concord High Army veteran LouAnn Hazelwood was fleeing her second abusive marriage when she found one of the nation’s few transitional programs for homeless female veterans. Photo by Rebecca Sheir for the American Homefront Project Women make up nearly 15 percent of the U.S. Armed Forces. As more females return from service, many are at special risk of becoming homeless due to mental health problems, substance abuse, and military sexual trauma. As a result, females are the fastest growing demographic of homeless veterans. But nearly all facilities for homeless veterans house males and females together. That can be counterproductive for women recovering from trauma. In Leeds, Massachusetts, freelance reporter Rebecca Sheir introduces us to one of the nation’s few programs that caters exclusively to the needs of females. Social worker Anna-Marie DiPasquale with student Rene Ndutiye at Concord High School. Photo courtesy of Anna-Marie DiPasquale Ten years ago, the demographics of New Hampshire and of Concord High School were almost identical. Both were 93 percent white. While that number has remained steady for the state, the capital city’s high school has diversified in a big way. More than 10 percent of the school’s 1,600 students are now refugees resettled from 66 countries. Anna-Marie DiPasquale, the school’s social worker, started a new project this past fall called Travel Around the World. The project allows Ms. DiPasquale to visit different classrooms with small groups of refugee students sharing their cultures and traditions firsthand. Jimmy Gutierrez reports for New Hampshire Public Radio’s Word of Mouth. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Rebecca Sheir, Jimmy Gutierrez Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and story leads to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Southern New England states are hungry for renewable energy. There’s energy up north, but there are hurdles to bringing down to southern states. This week, we look at the stalling of wind energy in Maine, and the controversy over a project that would bring hydro-electric power from Quebec to the New England grid. Plus, we have updates to government plans to clean up the Long Island Sound, install high speed rail, and conserve land – or not – in our region. And we learn what makes “New England’s magazine” tick. Buckle up. Opponents to Northern Pass, a project to bring hydro- electric power from rivers in Quebec through New Hampshire to the New England grid, has drawn opposition from Granite Staters who worry that transmission towers would disturb pristine wilderness. Photo by Sam Evans-Brown for NHPR Through the River and Over the Woods Stacey Fitts manages the Bingham Wind Plantation and other assets held by Novatus, a J.P. Morgan affiliate. Photo by Fred Bever for NENC In Maine, wind energy had a decade of rapid growth, but now the industry has hit the doldrums in the Pine Tree State. As Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports, no big new wind projects are likely to go live any time soon. And it could cost billions to unlock enough of the state’s wind resource – the best in the region – to serve southern New England’s thirst for renewable energy. Next door in New Hampshire, Northern Pass is a proposal to run 192 miles of new power lines from Canada, through much of the state. The current proposed Northern Pass route would bury the line in the White Mountains as a concession to opponents. Photo courtesy of Northern Pass The project is a collaboration between the regional utility Eversource, and Hydro-Quebec, which is owned by Quebec’s provincial government. The utilities say the $1.6 billion Northern Pass project would transport 1,090 megawatts of electricity from Quebec – which derives more than 90 percent of its power from hydroelectric dams – to the New England power grid. Since the first route was proposed in 2011, Northern Pass has generated considerable controversy in New Hampshire. Now, the issue is being considered in the state legislature, and hearings are expected to continue throughout the summer.  Our guest Nancy West has been covering the back-and-forth for the New Hampshire Center for Public Interest Journalism. How would Northern Pass fit into New England’s energy grid? And just how “clean” a source is hydro-electric power? For answers we turned to Sam Evans-Brown, host of the New Hampshire Public Radio podcast Outside/In – the show about the natural world and how we use it. Evans-Brown says the impacts of Canadian hydro-electric power on our regions grid could be massive. According to Hydro-Quebec, hydro-electric power for the Northern Pass project would come from  dams along La Grande River in the northwest corner of the map, and on the Romaine river on the east side of the map, including two that are currently under construction. Map courtesy of Hydro-Quebec Federal Projects in New England – Updates Last week we learned about how nitrogen runoff from the Connecticut River is leading to the die-off of fish and plant life in Long Island Sound. But the problem is not a new one. The Environmental Protection Agency started closely monitoring nitrogen levels there back in the 1980s. By 2001, the agency set new nitrogen limitations for wastewater treatment plants on the Sound in New York and Connecticut. Now EPA is expected to set lower limits for wastewater treatment plants miles from the Sound, on the Connecticut River.  As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, those plants are wondering if this is their problem to solve. Watch a video about how nitrogen from upriver affects the Long Island Sound: The nation’s busiest rail corridor hugs the shoreline along Long Island Sound. The Amtrak trains that serve the Northeast get people from Boston to New York and beyond. The shoreline communities that the trains pass through, want faster, reliable train service that also stops at their local train stations. But a proposed federal plan for high speed rail  would have trains skipping many towns and cities. Robert Lee owns Lee’s Oriental Market in the Historic Hodges Square Village neighborhood of New London, CT. He worried that a rail bypass would hurt development here. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Two weeks ago on the show, we heard from residents angry about lack of public input in the process, and concerned about potential impacts on historic buildings and farmland. Now in the port city of New London, Cassandra Basler reports that some worry the proposed railroad bypass would decimate their city’s budget and hold back it’s revitalization. Back in August of 2016 President Obama signed an executive order creating a national monument in Maine’s North Woods. As NEXT reported, that signature created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on 87 thousand acres of wilderness east of Baxter State Park. Boaters, in August of 2016, paddle the East Branch of the Penobscot River, which cuts through Katahdin Woods and Waters. Photo by Susan Sharon for Maine Public Now, that monument is one of 27 under review by the Trump administration. Maine Governor Paul LePage says the monument, and its potential to become a national park, pose a real threat to Maine’s forest products industry. Main Public Radio’s A. J. Higgins traveled to the nearby town of Millinocket, where he found some monument supporters, including local businesses, who are fighting back. The Department of the Interior is accepting public comments on the review of monuments including Katahdin Woods and Waters, (as well as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts monument 150 miles off the coast of Cape Cod), through July 10. You can read comments and submit your own at regulations.gov. Your Grandma’s New England Magazine Adapts to Not-Your-Grandma’s New England Yankee Magazine editor Mel Allen. Photo by Jarrod McCabe for Yankee Magazine Google something along the lines of “best clam chowder in Rhode Island” or “best New England beaches” and chances are good you’ll come across newengland.com, the website of Yankee Magazine. (The magazine will be ranking lobster rolls in its next print issue. Of course, John has his own opinions on that topic.) Yankee’s tagline is “New England’s magazine,” and the periodical turns 82 this year. So what did it mean to be New England’s Magazine in 1935, and what does it mean today? We check in with editor Mel Allen. Once plentiful in New England’s rivers, native Atlantic salmon have since all but disappeared. Salmon grow up in freshwater, then go out to the ocean and return inland to spawn. But dams and changing oceanic conditions have destroyed river return rates. To combat that, New England aggressively stocked hatchery-raised salmon in rivers for decades, but low return counts and budget cutbacks eliminated many of those programs. Yearling Atlantic salmon at about the right size for stocking. Salmon live in fresh water for the first one to four years of life. Photo by Peter E. Steenstrta for USFWS In Connecticut a paired-down salmon stocking program remains. WNPR’s Patrick Skahill recently met up with some fish stockers on Connecticut’s Farmington River, and brings us an audio postcard. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Jill Kaufman, Cassandra Basler, A.J. Higgins, and Patrick Skahill Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and live salmon to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River, overtaxed sewage systems are being pushed to filter out more pollutants. This week, we look into what it takes to clean up our water systems. We also revisit Boston’s aborted Olympic bid in search of lessons about urban planning and civic engagement. We follow the journey of an aluminum can, and meet a DIY Youtube star from the woods of Maine. The mouth of the Connecticut River. The Amtrak Old Saybrook-Old Lyme bridge is the last crossing before the river meets Long Island Sound. Nitrogen runoff from soil upriver is responsible for fish die-off in the salt waters of the sound. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Influent and Effluent Springfield Water and Sewer Plant Manager Mickey Nowak gives a quick biology lesson, explaining how bacteria found in sewage is currently denitrified at the plant. Photo by Jill Kaufman for NENC By the end of the year, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce new limits on the amount of nitrogen that wastewater treatment plants in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire can release into New England’s largest river, the Connecticut. These new rules could mean a small tweak of the system, or a costly plant retrofit. No one knows for sure until the limits are announced. Nitrogen is a nutrient in soil, but when it reaches salt water it becomes a pollutant. And it’s nitrogen that’s blamed for fish die-offs in Long Island Sound, where the Connecticut river ends. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman has our story. A combined sewer overflow outfall in Rutland, VT. When there’s too much rain in the lines, the system starts working differently. Instead of going to the treatment plant, untreated stormwater gets diverted, along with with untreated sewage, straight into the river. Photo by Talyor Dobbs for VPR There’s another nutrient that’s plaguing water quality in New England: phosphorous. It’s linked to toxic blue-green algae blooms in Lake Champlain. But that’s just one of the problems the podcast Brave Little State went to investigate for their latest episode. This people-powered program from Vermont Public Radio asks for listener questions. This month, listener Mike Brown asked, “How are we going to address the aging sewage systems in Vermont?” Angela Evancie and Mike Brown visit a combined sewer overflow outfall on the edge of a cemetary in Rutland, Vermont, with public works commissioner Jeff Wennberg. Photo by Taylor Dobbs for VPR Brown was concerned about sewage overflows that were happening more frequently with big storms and flooding. As it turns out, the problem is linked to climate change and an antique sewer system that in some spots predates the automobile. Our guest is Vermont Public Radio digital reporter Taylor Dobbs, who co-reported the episode with host Angela Evancie and question-asker Mike Brown. Lessons From the Boston Olympics That Wasn’t Residents hold signs before a community meeting in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood in June 2015. Photo courtesy of University Press of New England Paris and Los Angeles are in the running to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. Before the U.S. Olympic Committee set its sights on L.A., it chose Boston. But the Boston 2024 project was beset by problems, including lack of transparency about costs, and a snow storm that brought the subway system to a grinding halt. (The Boston Globe has a helpful timeline of the Olympic bid.) In July, 2015, Mayor Marty Walsh announced he would not sign a contract that would promise taxpayer funding for Olympic costs overruns, and the Olympic bid came to an end. Our next guests are some of Boston 2024’s most outspoken skeptics. Chris Dempsey is a co-founder of the movement No Boston Olympics, previously served as assistant transportation secretary for Massachusetts, and is now the director of the nonprofit Transportation for Massachusetts. Andrew Zimbalist teaches economics at Smith College and studies public financing of sports events. Demspey and Zimbalist are co-authors of the new book, No Boston Olympics: How and Why Smart Cities Are Passing on the Torch. While the majority of public opinion in Boston had turned against hosting the games by the time the city dropped the bid, not everyone was happy to see their hometown pass on the Olympic experience. For another perspective, we speak with Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung, who covered the Olympic debate closely. Break It Down, Build It Up After aluminum is melted down (above) chemists inject additives to ensure the alloy is correct for can “body stock.” The material is then cast into giant slabs, which weigh thousands of pounds and are very thick. Those slabs are then milled down to a very thin body, which is cooled and coiled before it gets shipped to can makers. Photo courtesy of Constellium – Muscle Shoals, AL Maler Gardner Waldeier, aka “Bus Huxley,” in his Waterford, Maine workshop. Photo by John Kalish for NENC Except for Rhode Island and New Hampshire, all New England states have bottle bills. Those are recycling programs built around a system of deposits and refunds, aimed at reducing litter and protecting the environment. But when it comes to old aluminum, it’s not just environmentalists who want to see more recycling; there’s a real business case to be made for it, too. WNPR’s Patrick Skahill reports. There’s a thriving scene on YouTube where woodworkers, metalworkers and other “makers” provide a step-by-step guide to their process. In Waterford, Maine a maker named Gardner Waldeier — who calls himself “Bus Huxley” — has been entertaining viewers with equal portions of Yankee ingenuity and video wizardry. Jon Kalish reports. Below: Gardner Waldeier demonstrates how to butcher a deer. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Taylor Dobbs, Angela Evancie, Jon Kalish, Patrick Skahill Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and DIY videos to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we find out what a Reveal/APM Reports investigation tells us about police de-escalation training in New England, and visit police in New Hampshire who are reaching out to children who’ve been traumatized by witnessing crime. We go inside the public input process in two big regional transportation projects, and find out what role citizens can play in shaping highways and railways. We take an electron’s tour of New England’s power grid, and wonder whether we might be ready for Daylight Saving Time, full-time. Officer Jennifer Lazarchic at a police training session in March 2016. Photo by Courtney Perry for MPR News De-Escalation Many of the high-profile police shootings of the last few years across the US have a disturbing common thread: they happen within a few minutes, or even a few seconds after police arrive on the scene. Several states require “de-escalation” training for their police officers. It’s meant to avoid situations where deadly force is viewed as the only resort. In New England three of our six states have such mandates: Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Still, training requirements – and how well they are carried out- vary from state to state. Below: An interactive map from APM Reports. The latest episode of Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting worked with APM Reports to examine de-escalation, state by state. Our guest is APM Reports correspondent Curtis Gilbert, author of the report “Not Trained to Not Kill.” We dig into the details and learn how New England states measure up. Types of police calls the Manchester ACERT team responded to July 2016 through March 2017. Graphic by Sara Plourde for NHPR When police respond to a domestic violence call or a drug overdose, children are often on the scene when officers arrive. Manchester, New Hampshire police found that in 2015, 400 children had been on-scene during such calls. Research shows that children exposed to trauma are more likely to be violent – and victims of violence—later in life. So Manchester police officers are trying something new: returning to the scene of such crises to see if they can help. The first-of-its-kind program is called ACERT: Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team. New Hampshire Public Radio‘s Emily Corwin reports. A Fork in the Road The I-84 viaduct in Hartford. Photo by Ryan Caron King for WNPR In southern New England, two massive infrastructure projects are being planned. One would replace a section of highway that has divided the city of Hartford since the 1960s. The other would revamp Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and speed up rail service, cutting through historic areas along the way. WNPR reporters Heather Brandon and Ryan Caron King wondered how important it is for the public to know what’s in the works for big infrastructure projects like these, that will shape cities and towns for years to come. They join John in the studio this week to discuss what they’ve learned. A marsh on the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme Connecticut that a proposed rail bypass could go through. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC A 2014 study by Congress for the New Urbanism listed Hartford’s Interstate 84 viaduct as one of the top 10 highways in North America that should be torn down. Here’s an excerpt from that report: Completed in 1965, [the I-84 viaduct] caused significant damage to the historic neighborhoods of Hartford, destroying historic architecture and breaking the walkable connections between adjacent communities and public spaces… It also destroyed the economic vitality of the community. Downtown growth was inhibited for decades. To this day, the imposing viaduct prevents pedestrians from utilizing the space underneath, as most of the area is dedicated to surface parking. State planners are planning to demolish a two-mile stretch of the highway in coming years. As for exactly how to rebuild, the state has made a concerted effort to gather feedback from the public. As  Heather Brandon reports, this is a dramatic change from the way highways were designed in the past. Planners are also consulting the public on redeveloping the interchange of I-84 and I-91, also in Hartford. It’s an interchange that has a place in the history of rock n’ roll, as WSHU‘s David Dunavin discovered. But along New England’s southern coast, residents are pushing back against the development of a new high-speed rail line that would be part of a federal overhaul of passenger rail in the Northeast. As Ryan Caron King reports, many there feel they’ve been left out of the public input process. Evening Glow Our power, in New England, comes from many sources: mostly gas, nuclear and a growing mix of renewables. But how exactly does that energy get from that source to your home? WNPR reporter Patrick Skahill went to find out, learning on the way about the delicate choreography that utilities do to keep the lights on, without shorting the circuit. A visual schematic of hundreds of power plants, substations, and transmission lines across New England, in the control room at ISO New England in Holyoke, Mass. Photo courtesy of ISO New England. Thanks to Daylight Saving Time, we might not need to turn on the lights until close to 8pm this time of year. But in the winter months when the sun sets at 4pm or earlier, it can get depressing around here. Now, several New England states are considering sticking with Daylight Saving Time year ‘round. And as Fred Bever reports, the idea is gaining momentum. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Curtis Gilbert, Jack Rodolico, Emily Corwin, Heather Brandon, Ryan Caron King, Patrick Skahill, and Fred Bever Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and your thoughts on Daylight Savings Time to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the death of a veteran raises questions about a VA facility in Vermont; and what the story of a mentally ill homeless man in Connecticut tells us about systemic neglect. Plus, we talk about town-gown relations in cities large and small, and we hear the stories and music of refugees. Reggie Moton, of Hartford, Connecticut suffers from depression and substance use disorder. Moton was homeless for 20 years before a nonprofit called Journey Home found him an apartment in 2016. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Falling Through the Cracks Don Theriault, formerly of Berlin, N.H. suffered from sleep apnea, among other ailments, until his death on July 24, 2012. Photo courtesy of Debbie Delorey Nearly five years ago, a veteran from New Hampshire’s North Country died while waiting for an appointment through the VA Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont. The hospital said “no significant delay” contributed to his death, but the man’s widow disagrees, and questions remain about the process the hospital used to hold itself accountable. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Peter Biello investigated. Between a quarter and a third of homeless people have one or more mental illnesses, and roughly that same percentage suffer from substance abuse disorder. Columnist Susan Campbell, who writes about housing and homelessness for the New England News Collaborative, tells the story of one man who fits both of these categories: Reggie Moton of Hartford, Connecticut. Susan says Moton’s example illustrates the years of systemic neglect of mentally ill homeless people in New England. Read Susan Campbell’s column and watch a video interview with Moton below. Town and Gown In a region known for elite private colleges, tensions between town and gown are bound to arise, especially when the economic gap between the university and the surrounding community is wide. Historically, the relationship between Yale and the residents of New Haven has been an extreme example of this divide: one of the country’s most elite institutions in the heart of a majority-minority city, with struggling public schools and many other markers of urban poverty. Yale College Democrats president Josh Hochman presents at a Collaboratory: New Haven event on March 29. Photo by Caroline Smith courtesy of Collaboratory Social worker Janice Dixon and Yale freshman Keera Annamaneni collect ideas during a brainstorming session. Photo by Caroline Smith courtesy of Collaboratory But in recent years, that icy town-gown relationship has begun to thaw. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin saw that warming trend in action at Collaboratory: New Haven, an event series that brings people from Yale and the surrounding community together to brainstorm solutions to common problems. About 90 miles north on Route 91 sits Amherst, Massachusetts. It’s a town of under 40,000 people that’s home to three colleges. The biggest by far is the University of Massachusetts. It has 30,000 students between undergrads and graduate students, and is the largest employer in Hampshire County. A view from the DuBois Library at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Photo via Creative Commons So how do town-gown relations shake out in a smaller place dominated by higher ed? Our guest is Tony Maroulis. He’s Executive Director of External Relations and University Events at UMass-Amherst. Before that, he was the director of the chamber of commerce in Amherst. And he’s part of a town-gown collaborative effort that’s been underway since 2013. Refugees and the Arts Rose Saia shares the story of her grandfather, who came from Sicily in the early 20th century and settled in the mostly Irish neighborhood of South Boston. Photo by Joe Difazio for WBUR When refugees are in the news, we hear a lot about basic needs: escaping violence, finding housing, getting health care, etc. And we’ve reported on all of those issues on our program. But what about the human need for self-expression? When WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling found out that a New England refugee resettlement agency was preparing for a live storytelling series, she sat in on a rehearsal. The series, Suitcase Stories, debuts on May 7 in Arlington, Massachusetts. Yaira Matyakubova leads the violin class for young refugees. Photo by Ryan Caron King for WNPR Of the 530 refugees who arrived in the New Haven metro area last year, more than 270 were children. Many are nearing the end of their first year in school in the United States. WNPR’s Diane Orson reports on an arts program that’s partnered with the region’s resettlement agency to create a special after-school violin class for the young refugees. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Peter Biello, Susan Campbell, Ryan Caron King, Shannon Dooling, Diane Orson Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Sunshine” by Rye Rye featuring M.I.A. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, violin solos, air kisses and raspberries to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, a political reporter’s history of the New Hampshire primary. Plus, we follow scientists who are recreating ancient forests, tracking the effects of climate change on moose, and fighting to keep funding for weird-sounding research. And we hear the story of a soccer team that’s leveling the playing field for kids of all backgrounds. You can stream the entire episode by clicking play on the embedded media player above or listen to the embedded SoundCloud files below for individual reports.  Give Me Primary, or Give Me Death New Hampshire’s near-religious devotion to the democratic process has surfaced on our show before – most recently last month when the state plowed forward with Town Meeting Day, despite the mid-march blizzard that swept the region. But the Granite State’s political fervor reaches it’s height during its first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Just take a look at this headline-making tweet from the 2016 race: Photo-@pgrossmith: A woman calmly eats breakfast at Blake’s in Manchester as @CarlyFiorina campaigned today. #fitn pic.twitter.com/LiakOK6oRI — UnionLeader.com (@UnionLeader) February 8, 2016 Our guest, long-time political reporter Scott Conroy, followed the often absurd 2016 campaign up and down New Hampshire for a year and a half leading up to the primary. His new book,  Vote First or Die chronicles the pancake breakfasts, ice cream socials and frigid walks to knock on doors – all hallmarks of the retail politics that presidential hopefuls still have to engage in during the primary season.   Engineering Forests, Tracking Fading Moose In this area of Jericho Research Forest in Vermont, most trees are about 150 years old. This makes for a rather homogeneous forest with fewer opportunities for wildlife habitat. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR. In the northeast U.S., there is less than 1 percent of old growth forest left. A new University of Vermont study finds that harvesting trees in a way that mimics ancient forests not only restore critical habitat but also stores a surprising amount of carbon. Researchers created this tip-up mound by pulling over this tree with a cable. A downed tree offers a number of habitat niches for small mammals, insects, and invertebrates. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR For a forest to be considered “old growth,” it must grow largely undisturbed, usually for several centuries. These ancient forests help foster biodiversity of plants, animal, and even fungi — and can help mitigate flooding. University of Vermont ecologist Bill Keeton wanted to see if he could take a “middle-aged” New England forest and “nudge” the forest ecosystem into old-growth conditions. Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson went to take a look. The 1990s were a good time to be a moose in New Hampshire. The animals could take advantage of a perfect mix of young and mature forest, and plenty of food. At its peak, the statewide population reached 7,400. But given the lush habitat, scientists wondered why the moose population wasn’t growing faster. Today, there are only about 3,400 moose in New Hampshire, and the same steep decline is being reported in neighboring Vermont and Maine. The culprit? A nasty tick whose proliferation is brought on by climate change. We speak with Kristine Rines, a wildlife biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Rines is leading a four-year study to learn more about how weather changes and forest management practices affect the moose population. In Defense of Weird Science and Affordable Soccer The national March for Science on April 22, and the many satellite events around New England marked a departure for many scientists. Until recently, they didn’t consider political activism a part of their jobs. But over the past few years, a growing number of researchers have faced political attacks about their work, and many say it’s time to come out swinging. New England Public Radio’s Karen Brown visited one scientist who’s urging colleagues to step up and make the case for continued federal funding, even when their research sounds strange. Cameron Rodrigues, 11, plays competitive soccer in Nashua, NH. Photo by Emily Corwin for NHPR Last year, Boston’s Metro South Under-15 girls soccer team became champions in the New England Premiership Soccer League. Playing on club soccer teams like that can get attention from college recruiters. But those clubs also charge players’ families around $1500 per child, per year. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin has a story about a soccer club in Nashua, New Hampshire, with a different approach to high-level sports – one that’s all about leveling the playing field. Introducing: West Mass Here’s an update on what we’re calling the Connecticut River Valley region in Massachusetts. In February the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts announced a rebrand for the area formerly known as the Pioneer Valley. The new name, “West Mass,” was released with a promotional video. But “West Mass” took a beating on social media. One Youtube commenter put it this way: “It’s nice that even in these divisive times, we can all come together and agree that this is very bad.” So last week, the organizations behind the rebranding announced that they’re putting “West Mass” on pause. They’re asking for feedback from both inside and outside the region- in the form of an online survey where you can vote for “West Mass,” or “Western Mass.” (“Pioneer Valley” is not an option!) If you missed our segment where we analyzed “West Mass” and other New England branding campaigns with Connecticut state historian Walt Woodward, that’s definitely worth a listen. Find it in Episode 31, or listen right here: About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Karen Brown, Emily Corwin Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and place branding ideas to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, The Boston Globe Spotlight team shines light on sexual abuse at elite New England boarding schools, and it prompts more investigations and more allegations. Connecticut’s unpopular Democratic governor said he’s not running for re-election. We find out why, and ask why so many blue New England states are now being run by Republicans. And we hear about “duckling diplomacy” in Boston and Moscow. St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island. After a former student at St. George’s told The Boston Globe she had been raped by an athletic coach at St. George’s, the paper began an investigation of sexual abuse at private schools across New England. Photo by Dina Rudick for The Boston Globe Painful Secrets Continue to Come to Light at New England Boarding Schools Steven Starr, a former student at the Fessenden School in Newton, Mass., shows photos of him at 11 taken by teacher James Hallman, who Starr says molested him. Image courtesy of The Boston Globe Spotlight Team. A new internal report from Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut names 12 former educators who allegedly sexually assaulted students at the elite boarding school between 1963 and 2010. It’s the latest school to release it’s own findings since a Boston Globe Spotlight Team investigation last year revealed allegations of sexual abuse at over 67 private schools in New England. In many cases, the alleged abusers were fired or allowed to resign without being reported to law enforcement. Like Choate Rosemary Hall, other schools have launched their own investigations after the Spotlight report was published last year, uncovering more disturbing stories. Our guest is Jonathan Saltzman, a reporter on the Globe Spotlight Team who took part in the investigation and authored an article on Choate Rosemary Hall’s report last week. Why Does Blue New England Love GOP Governors? When political observers look at a map of the U.S., most of them put a blue placeholder on New England. For many reasons, our region is both in reputation and reality a place where Democratic politicians and liberal ideas flourish. So, why – when you look at the current political landscape of New England, do you see such success by Republican governors? Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy announcing that he won’t seek a third term, with wife Cathy Malloy. Photo by Ryan Caron King for WNPR A recent poll by Morning Consult that ranks America’s governors by popularity shows Charlie Baker of Massachusetts at a whopping 75% approval rating. He’s even more popular in the Commonwealth than high-profile liberal standard-bearer, Senator Elizabeth Warren. Vermont and New Hampshire’s newly elected Republican governors – Phil Scott and Chris Sununu, are both enjoying very high favorable ratings, and even the outspoken and controversial Paul LePage is approved of by roughly half of Mainers. That leaves only two Democrats – Rhode Island’s Gina Raimondo and Connecticut’s Dannel Malloy. And Malloy announced last week that he won’t be running for re-election. We wanted to learn more about how New Englanders view their governors, so we sat down with a panel of experts. Dan Haar is a columnist for The Hartford Courant. Maureen Moakley is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island and a part of the Political Rountable team at Rhode Island Public Radio. Andrew Smith is Associate Professor of Practice in Political Science at the University of New Hampshire and director of the UNH Survey Center. Jubilant Kenyans and Diplomatic Ducklings in Boston From left, Kenyan fans John Githaiga, of Kenya, and Penny Waweru and Frank Githinji, of Lowell, cheer as Edna Kiplagat crosses the finish line to win the women’s race at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR At the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, the winner of both the women’s and men’s races were Kenyans: Edna Kiplagat and Geoffrey Kerui. While Kenyans have dominated the marathon over the last three decades, Ethiopians have been more successful in recent years. So Monday was a great day for members of New England’s Kenyan community, some of whom were at the finish line. WBUR’s Simón Rios reports. The installation of the “Ducklings” sculpture in Moscow’s Novodevichy Park  coincided with the U.S. and Soviet Union signing a nuclear arms treaty known as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I. Photo courtesy of Dmitry Avdoshin Walk a few blocks from the marathon finish line in Copley Square to the Boston Public Garden, and you’re sure to find children surrounding a family of ducks made out of bronze. The life-sized statues depict Mrs. Mallard and her children: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack. While the ducklings from Robert McCloskey’s children’s book Make Way for Ducklings have become a Boston icon, this is not their only home. WBUR’s Bob Shaffer reports on the identical public art project erected in Moscow. You can think of it as a monument to Cold War diplomacy. Boston’s “Make Way For Ducklings” sculpture was installed in 1987. Moscow residents received their own version in 1991. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Simón Rios and Bob Shaffer Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your local public art to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we tackle the confusing and contradictory world of health care, from politics that are personal, to overcoming the trauma of being a refugee, to the shifting language of addiction. We also explore the work of Marsden Hartley, whose art defined the rocky coast, the looming hills, and the working men of Maine. Marden Hartley, Lobster Fishermen, 1940-41 Metropolitan Museum of Art New Ideas in Health Care We go to a clinic in Vermont that’s working to help treat the mental health issues of the refugee community there, both from past traumas and the stresses of transitioning into a new culture. And caregivers are pushing back against terminology that they think minimizes an illness or condition. That means the term “post-traumatic” is out, in favor of language that acknowledges the ongoing nature of trauma. In New Hampshire, many on the front lines of the opioid epidemic are coming to see addiction as a medical disorder. And the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act stalled in Washington, D.C., in part because of predictions that up to 24 million people could lose their health insurance. That would include many people who voted for Donald Trump. We hear from a high-profile skeptic of Obamacare who’s changed his point of view. Ajuda Thapa, center in black, learns about Lake Champlain Chocolates on an outing with other Bhutanese refugees who have sought mental health treatment at UVM’s Connecting Cultures clinic. Kathleen Masterson/VPR Marsden Hartley’s Maine Portrait of Marsden Hartley by Carl Van Vechten, U.S. Library of Congress In the permanent collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum, the nation’s oldest art museum in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, is a painting by Marsden Hartley called “Down East Young Blades,” depicting three colorful figures standing on a pier. Massive, strapping, working men with comically broad shoulders are pictured with the images of their trade: lobsters, fish, and logs. Hartley’s career, stretching from the early years of the 20th century to his death in 1943, celebrated the vast and wild scenery of New England; specifically, his home state of Maine. The exhibition “Marsden Hartley’s Maine” is at the Met Breuer in New York until June, when it moves to the Colby College Museum of Art. Our guest Donna Cassidy, Professor of Art and American and New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine, co-authored the exhibition book about the artist’s relationship with this place. Mt. Katahdin (Maine), Autumn -2, 1939–40, Metropolitan Museum of Art Recognition Angelica Merino Monge was ten years old when she, her mother and her older brother fled El Salvador. She lived in the U.S. illegally until recently, when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA was passed, enabling her to become authorized to work and stay in the country. She’s putting herself through college and is now president of the Latino International Students Association at Holyoke Community College. We hear her story as told to the Words in Transit Project at New England Public Radio. Last, we hear a story about recognition, a long time coming. Portland, Maine is remembering a long forgotten African American man who served, and was injured, in one of the nation’s earliest wars. It’s a saga that began more than two centuries ago, and a story of justice twice denied — or at least delayed. Larry Glatz (left) and Herb Adams immediately make plans to add “Quazi-War with France” to William Brown’s gravestone after unwrapping it. Troy R. Bennett/Bangor Daily NewsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been directed to begin detaining and deporting all unauthorized immigrants. We’ve talked about sanctuary cities, but what about jurisdictions where law enforcement does report to ICE? We look at the very different approaches taken by Vermont and New Hampshire. Later, we visit the front lines of a border war between competing casino developments. Plus, we meet New England’s other NEXT. What Roles Are States Playing in Immigration Enforcement? A case in front of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court this past week could determine how much local law enforcement is able to cooperate with federal immigration officials. We’ve been covering stories like this in so-called sanctuary cities, but this case applies to entire states. The court will decide whether local law enforcement officers are authorized to detain a person solely at the request of ICE. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling has been following the case. A woman lies motionless in her bunk at the Strafford County Jail in Dover, NH. This part of the jail is designated for women detained by ICE who face no criminal charges, only federal immigration violations. Photo by Emily Corwin for NHPR The directive from the Trump White House to immigration enforcement to begin detaining and deporting all unauthorized immigrants has stirred up a series of legal questions around our region. The new policy marks a change from Obama-era directives, which directed agents to prioritize deporting individuals convicted of serious crimes. But how do immigration agents find undocumented but otherwise law-abiding immigrants? It turns out there are big differences between states, including in neighboring Vermont and New Hampshire. We speak with with New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin and Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson. Is a Casino the Answer to Springfield’s Woes? “Springfield, Massachusetts” and “resort casino” aren’t words you expect to see in the same sentence. But if you live in the area, you’ve been hearing about a casino coming to town for years. On three blocks in the city’s struggling downtown, MGM Resorts is building that casino with a hotel, movie theater, skating rink, and other amenities, set to open in fall 2018. An artist rendering of the MGM Springfield resort casino, with hotel rotunda in front view. The original plan included a glass skyscraper. Image courtesy of MGM Springfield. Construction began two years ago, but the political groundwork was laid back in 2011, with two separate events. That June, two tornadoes ripped through the area, causing 17 miles of damage, including right in the heart of downtown. Officials there wondered what to do to rebuild. Then, in the fall of that year, hoping to recapture some of the gambling dollars that had been leaving Massachusetts for years, the legislature passed the Expanding Gaming Act, allowing for three casinos to be built, including one in the western part of the state. After a lengthy process, Springfield won that bid. MGM got the contract, and broke ground in March 2015. But Connecticut’s two federally-recognized Indian tribes, long the beneficiaries of those Massachusetts customers, got worried about losing their market share. Connecticut officials were also concerned, since through a tribal gaming compact the state receives 25 percent of the gaming revenue at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. So the the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots formed a partnership with Connecticut’s help to build a new casino in the Hartford metro area. The vacant Showcase Cinemas in East Windsor, Connecticut is the site where Connecticut’s Mohengan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes want to build a casino, 14 miles south of MGM Springfield. Photo by Henry Epp for NEPR This February, the tribes announced they had chosen a site off Interstate 91 in East Windsor — just 14 miles south of the MGM casino in Springfield. East Windsor is on board, but the tribes need a new law to allow them to operate the casino. And proposals are currently tied up in the state legislature. Whether the East Windsor casino goes forward or not, the big question for the city of Springfield is whether the massive development will give the city the economic boost it sorely needs. We visit the MGM construction site and chat with MGM Springfield president Mike Mathis, as well as city councilor and casino booster Melvin Edwards. For a more critical perspective, we sit down with Mike Dobbs, managing editor of the local newspaper The Reminder, who has been covering the Springfield project over the years; and WNPR business editor Harriet Jones, who covers the Connecticut casino proposal. The Other NEXT John Dankosky interviews host Elaine Bourhan on the set of New England’s Xtrordinary Talent at the studios of Focus Springfield. Photo courtesy of Focus Springfield Just northwest of the casino site, a friendly storefront houses the local cable access TV station, Focus Springfield. MGM now owns the building, and Focus is getting evicted. They have to move by November. It just so happens that one of the shows that tapes there is also called NEXT. In their case, it stands for “New England’s Xtrodinary Talent.” (In our case, if you’ve been wondering, it doesn’t stand for anything.) Host Elaine Bourhan, who goes by Elaine B, is a local musician who also scouts talent for the show. We speak with her about some of her favorite guests on the program. Below: interviews and a performance by Western Massachusetts locals Charles Neville and son Khalif Neville on New England’s Xtrodinary Talent. While we were on set, Elaine also interviewed us! We’ll let you know when that’s posted. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shanoon Dooling, Emily Corwin, Kathleen Masterson, Michael Dobbs, Harriet Jones Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and hidden talents to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“He has no compunction about telling you how he’s screwing you,” is how one fisherman described the way the man known locally as “the Codfather” did business. This week, how one man gamed the system meant to keep New England fishing fair and sustainable. Plus, we talk gentrification in two very different Boston squares. And with the first hints of spring, we bring back the story of a grandma who conquered the Appalachian trail. Boats belonging to Carlos Rafael, AKA “the Codfather,” photographed in December 2016 in New Bedford, Mass. New Bedford, a historic whaling port, is now one of the most valuable fishing ports in the United States, with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of seafood brought in annually. Carlos Rafael, owner of Carlos Seafood and known as the “Codfather,” was one of the most successful commercial fishermen in New England. Photo by Tristan Spinksi for Mother Jones/FERN. Big Fish In Boston Federal court Thursday, Carlos Rafael, a man known as “the Codfather,” plead guilty to 28 counts of fraud. Charges against the fishing magnate included conspiracy, false entries involving labeling cod as haddock in order to avoid regulatory oversight, and cash smuggling. Rafael was a fishing magnate who controlled one fifth of New Bedford’s fishing fleet. He dominated the New England fishing industry with a bravado he likened to the Al Pacino character Scarface. It was that signature bravado that brought the Codfather down. Our guest is environmental reporter Ben Goldfarb, who covered Raphael for the Food and Environment Reporting Network in collaboration with Mother Jones Magazine. His article is entitled “The Deliciously Fishy Case of the Codfather.” We spoke with Ben earlier this week in New Haven, Connecticut. A Tale of Two Squares The Abbott Building at 5 JFK Street in Harvard Square Cambridge, Massachusetts, photographed in 2010. The Abbott has been bought by the investment firm Equity One. The firm plans to turn the property into a mall, but is facing opposition from locals. Photo by Daderot via Wikimedia Commons For Harvard Square neighbors bemoaning the loss of independent businesses to rising rents, the latest blow hit last weekend. On March 26, the 150- year old Schoenhof’s Foreign Books on Mount Auburn Street closed its brick and mortar location, moving to online-only sales. Upscale retail chains continue to pour into Harvard Square, from D.C.-based craft pizza to Swedish outdoor apparel. Long-term residents are worried that Harvard Square has become so commercial that it’s losing what makes it special. Jim Cronin, father of our guest Louie Cronin, serving Boston baked beans to Elizabeth Taylor. Photo courtesy of Louie Cronin. At the center of the latest controversy is the historic Abbott Building at Five JFK Street. It houses the world’s only Curious George store and is also the former home of NPR’s Car Talk. The developer that bought the Abbott and its two adjoining buildings last year — for $85 million — plans to turn them into a mall. Long-term residents are worried that Harvard Square has become so commercial that it’s losing what makes it special. About five miles south, a historically Dominican and African American neighborhood, Egleston Square, is experiencing rapid gentrification. Below, watch a summer concert in Egleston Square. Egleston Square residents and the city government are mulling over, and sometimes butting heads over, how much affordable housing to require and what the business mix will look like. What can and/or should residents do to mitigate the effects of gentrification? To answer that complicated question, Louie Cronin joins us, author of a new novel, Everyone Loves You Back, which takes place in Cambridge in the 1990s. Cronin grew up in Cambridge, where her father owned a restaurant, and worked in the Abbott building as a producer for Car Talk. Also joining us is Luis Cotto, executive director of the not-for-profit Egleston Square Main Street. Take A Hike If you’re thinking, that tree couldn’t have grown that way naturally, your instincts are correct. (Credit: John Voci/NEPR) If you spend any time walking in the woods, you see a lot of strange looking trees — trees shaped by the wind, or split by lightning. Occasionally, some twists and turns are man-made. When walking in the woods near his Putney, Vermont, home, Dan Kubick discovered a most unusual tree. New England Public Radio’s John Voci has our story. Emma Gatewood with Thomson brothers (from left) Tom, seven; David, nine; and Peter, 11; near the Thomson home in Orford, New Hampshire, on her through hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1955. (Courtesy of Peter Thomson) You might know someone who’s gone out looking for his or herself along the Appalachian Trail. Next year will mark the 80th birthday of the 2100-mile footpath. This year marks the 80th birthday of the 2100- mile footpath that goes from Georgia to Maine. A third of the trail runs through New England, including its most rugged parts, ending at the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine. This is the time of year when through-hikers traditionally get started in Georgia. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood made headlines when she became the first woman to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, back in 1955. She was 67 years old, and wore Keds. Writer Ben Montgomery, Emma’s great great nephew and author of the book Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, tells her story. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Benjamin Goldfarb, John Voci, Elliot Rambach, Ben Montgomery Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Unsquare Dance” by Dave Brubeck, “Sunrise Blues” by Samuel James Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and fish stories to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we have updates from the front lines of the battle over immigration policy. An African immigrant tries to cross into Quebec, nearly freezing to death in the process, and a Syrian family just barely skirts a travel ban to come to Connecticut. We also try and answer two tricky questions: Why is Vermont so very white, and whatever happened to Boston’s Black renaissance? Plus, the climate’s getting warmer. Can we start our seedlings yet? Members of the Boston Unit of the Federal Theater Project. A program of the New Deal, the FTP supplied federal funding to provide relief to professional artists during the Great Depression. Photo courtesy of the Mason/Quarles Collection for Black Bostonians and the Politics of Culture 1920 -1940 Frozen Out This sign marks the Canadian side of the border at one rural area where many people are crossing illegally into Canada. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for NENC Many recent immigrants living in the U.S. are scared that their claims for asylum won’t have a fair hearing by the Trump administration. Hundreds  are fleeing to Canada. As we’ve reported, many migrants are heading straight to illegal border crossings, knowingly walking into arrest, for a chance to make their claims in Canada. This week, we have the story of a man who was turned away at an official border checkpoint, but tried to make it into Canada anyway, with disastrous consequences. From Vermont Public Radio, Kathleen Masterson reports. If the last few months has been confusing and concerning to those seeking asylum here, it’s also thrown the process of resettling refugees into chaos. Courts have twice blocked the administration’s executive orders imposing a travel ban on visitors from a group of majority Muslim countries. The judge’s orders — at least temporarily — lift a cap on refugees. Mona’s tea service was one of the only non-essential items she was able to pack when she left Jordan last month. She serves tea and brownies to guests in her new apartment. Photo by Kaari Pitkin for WNYC The Connecticut-based nonprofit resettlement group IRIS said this week that new refugee arrivals are being booked, at least through April 28, although that’s subject to change. WNYC reporter Kaari Pitkin has been following the story of one family that just arrived in Connecticut. Read and listen to more immigration stories from the New England News Collaborative series Facing Change. And if you’re in the area, join us Monday for our next discussion of what makes a sanctuary city at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut, moderated by NEXT host John Dankosky and WSHU reporter Cassandra Basler.  The event starts at 5:30 pm and is free and open to the public. Find out more. #VermontSoWhite A mural in a meeting room at the town offices in Hartford, Vermont portrays familiar images of the “typical” Vermonter. Photo by Angela Evancie for VPR Last week we learned about the tradition of town meeting in Vermont, where residents hash out their differences to pass a budget and come up with local laws. But one thing most town meeting attendees, and most Vermonters, have in common is skin color. As of the 2010 census, the state was over 95 percent white. The whiteness of northern New England states is a reality many of us take for granted. Not so Brave Little State, the podcast from Vermont Public Radio that digs deep to answer listeners’ questions about the Green Mountain State. Their most recent episode takes up the question “Why is Vermont so overwhelmingly white, and how does that affect all of us?” We’re thrilled to welcome Brave Little State host Angela Evancie back to NEXT to discuss her findings. (We highly recommend you listen to Angela’s original podcast episode, too.) Black Bostonians From the Jazz Age to the New Deal A staging of the play “Antar of Araby” by Maud Cuney Hare, 1930. Courtesy of Thelma Thorton Wynn for Black Bostonians and the Politics of Culture 1920-1940. Today, African Americans make up about 28 percent of Boston’s population. But in the 1920s and ’30s, they were only about three percent. Opportunities to gain political power were limited, but black Bostonians left their mark through the arts. It’s a period that mirrored the Harlem Renaissance in New York, but had its own distinctly Boston flavor. This period had also been largely overlooked, until now. Our guest Lorraine Elena Roses is the author of the new book Black Bostonians and the Politics of Culture 1920 -1940. Is It Spring Yet? Those early hints of spring can call to a gardener like a siren song. Yet the urge to get one’s seeds into dirt can be dangerous: most seedlings won’t survive a single frost. To help with that, gardeners use 30-year averages that predict when the last frost will probably occur. The thing is, in New England, climate change has temperatures rising relatively quickly. That left New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Emily Corwin with a question. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Kaari Pitkin, Angela Evancie, and Rebecca Sananes Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and anecdotes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With plenty of fresh powder on the ground, we look at how climate change is changing our region’s ski industry; and learn why the sport now comes with such a high price tag. We also hear about how Providence, Rhode Island is grappling with being a “sanctuary city.” And we get inside the unique, intensely democratic process that is a New England town meeting. A view from Bigrock Mountain Ski Area in Mars Hill, in northern Maine. Climate scientists say ski resorts in northern New England may benefit from an increase in visitors as climate change shortens the ski season to the south. Photo by Martin Cathrae via Flickr Upscale, Downhill The late-winter nor’easter that dumped snow across New England on Tuesday and Wednesday was a welcome sight to the region’s ski areas, which have been seeing shortening ski seasons in the past decade, due to climate change. According to University of Waterloo climate scientist Daniel Scott, no ski area in southern New England will remain profitable after 2040. As Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports, ski areas in northern New England could benefit. A hand-painted sign hangs on the wall at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Area in Franklin, New Hampshire. Photo courtesy of NHPR. Skiing is a pricey hobby. A lift ticket at Sugarloaf in Maine will run you $95. At Stowe in Vermont, it’s $124 for the day. Even at Ski Sundown, a small mountain in Connecticut, a ticket on a Saturday or Sunday costs $60. But at Veterans Memorial Ski Area in Franklin, New Hampshire, admission is just $20. Instead of a chair lift, there’s a metal bar that goes behind the thighs, attached to a rope that pulls skiers up the 230-foot hill. Once upon a time, these no-frills ski areas were the rule in New England, rather than the exception. So what happened? The team at New Hampshire Public Radio’s podcast Outside/In went to Franklin to figure out how skiing “got fancy.” For more fun on the slopes, listen to the full Outside/In episode, “Gnar Pow.” Whose Sanctuary is it Anyway? Guests at Rhode Island Public Radio’s “Policy and Pinot” discussion on March 9. From left: Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, immigration law professor Deborah Gonzalez, Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare, RI Republican National Committeewoman Lee An Sennick, and NEXT host John Dankosky. Photo by Kristen Gourlay for RIPR President Donald Trump has pledged to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities — jurisdictions that shield undocumented residents from federal immigration officials, mainly by refusing to comply with requests for local law enforcement to help enforce immigration law. Under Trump’s January 25 executive order, these cities could lose federal funding. The president and his supporters say the order is an attempt to improve public safety. But advocates claim that people living in the United States without documentation are more often victims of crime. They say that when police cooperate with federal immigration officials, community trust is eroded. Earlier this month, NEXT host John Dankosky moderated a forum about sanctuary cities in Providence, Rhode Island; where Mayor Jorge Elorza, like other urban mayors, has voiced open opposition to the order. Elorza and other panelists debated where local law enforcement ends and federal law enforcement begins. Listen to the full event audio from Rhode Island Public Radio. Explore stories about immigration in New England from the New England News Collaborative series Facing Change. “We are the Government” This past Tuesday was Town Meeting Day in New Hampshire. And while some towns rescheduled because of the big winter storm, New Hampshire’s Secretary of State there said the law requires towns to hold their local elections on the second Tuesday in March, regardless of the weather. In Newmarket, school board candidates and many voters toughed it out. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jason Moon reports. Candidates and survivors braved the elements Tuesday in New Market, NH. Photo by Jason Moon for NHPR. While residents of towns like Newmarket cast ballots, other New England towns hold traditional town meetings. That’s when citizens gather in a church or school gym to debate, deliberate and ultimately vote on a budget, and other municipal business. Town meeting is a tradition unique to New England in the United States, and goes back to colonial times. But an increasing number of towns are giving up the public debate in favor of a ballot-based system. So, is the tradition worth preserving? On Vermont’s Town Meeting Day, Vermont Public Radio’s Howard Weiss-Tisman sat in on a town meeting where the future of town meeting was up for debate. Meeting-goers in Tunbridge, Vermont cast paper ballots in a non-binding vote over whether to oppose a new residential development. Depending on town rules, votes can also be cast verbally or by a show of hands. Photo by Rebecca Sananes for VPR. So what’s so special about town meeting, and just how much power do attendees hold? For answers, we’re joined by Susan Clark, author of All Those in Favor: Rediscovering the Secrets of Town Meeting and Community, and Slow Democracy. Clark serves as moderator at her town meeting in Middlesex, Vermont. In Woodstock, NH, chickens in the road are no laughing matter. Photo by Angela N. via Flickr. And in Woodstock, New Hampshire, population 1,400, the main issue of town meeting this year was trespassing… by chickens. There’s no state law regarding the caging of fowl in New Hampshire, and some residents’ chickens have been roaming onto neighbors’ property, and even blocking traffic. How was the chicken fight resolved? No spoilers: you’ll just have to listen.     About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Fred Bever, Sam Evans-Brown, Maureen McMurray, Jimmy Gutierrez, Jason Moon, and Howard Weiss-Tisman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Special thanks this week to Dekama Welch. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and town meeting minutes to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we parse what’s clear, what’s changed, and what hasn’t about U.S. immigration policy and the powers of ICE, the federal immigration police. We hear what the vetting process was like for one refugee in Maine, and follow NPR’s Code Switch podcast as they trace Puerto Rican identity in a Massachusetts town. Plus, we take a look into the often-overlooked history of slavery and emancipation in New England. President Trump’s executive orders on immigration have brought renewed focus on the role of individual ICE agents. Photo by Groupuscule via Wikimedia Commons Who’s In, Who’s Out President Donald Trump’s first executive order on immigration included a temporary ban on travel from seven majority-Muslim countries. It was challenged by many states, and was suspended after a legal battle. Trump’s new order, signed Monday, is meant to achieve the same goals while passing legal muster. Lawyers in New England and elsewhere in the country have promised to fight this order in court, too. Reporter Shannon Dooling covers immigration for WBUR and the New England News Collaborative and joins us to help understand the new rules. Trump has talked repeatedly about the need for “extreme vetting” of refugees and other immigrants coming from majority-Muslim countries. But what does that vetting process look like now? Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever has the account of one refugee who came to Maine from Uganda last September. A market at the Kyangwali refugee settlement in Uganda, where Maine resident and Congolese refugee, Charles spent almost half his life. The number of refugees, asylum seekers and other foreign-born people who settled in Maine last year was the largest in recent years. Photo by N. Omata via Flickr The travel bans are a part of the administration’s overall immigration crackdown. In one executive order, entitled “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States,” the president wrote, “We cannot faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States if we exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement” — a reference to Obama administration guidance to prioritize serious criminals for deportation. Depending on how you read the guidance from Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, you could say that instead of broadening the priorities for deportation, the executive order essentially stripped away priorities altogether, making almost any non-citizen vulnerable for deportation. White House press secretary Sean Spicer has said that the president wants to “take the shackles off” immigration enforcement agents. But as Shannon Dooling reports, individual ICE agents have always had a certain amount of discretion. The question now is how that discretion will play out under the new administration. So Far, and Yet So Close to Home The Holyoke Public Library collected family stories from Puerto Rican residents at an event last September. Photo by Katherine Davis-Young for NEPR Last week marked the 100th anniversary of the Jones Act, which granted U.S. citizenship to people born in Puerto Rico. Today, there are more Puerto Ricans living on the mainland than on the island, which is in the midst of an economic crisis. In the 1960s and ’70s, a large group of Puerto Ricans moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts, where they found work in factories and nearby tobacco fiends. Holyoke is now home to the highest per capita concentration of Puerto Ricans in the United States. Reporter Shereen Marisol Meraji paid a visit to Holyoke for the NPR’s Code Switch podcast to explore what the Jones Act has meant for Puerto Ricans living in the 50 states. Silvana Laramee works with her students at Alfred Lima Elementary School in Providence. Most of the city’s ELL student population is Latino, but in the last few years, the district has welcomed more than 200 refugee students from all over the world. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC In Rhode Island, the population is about 14 percent Latino. And that population is growing, with Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans, and Colombians the largest Hispanic groups there. But the number of teachers certified to teach English language learners hasn’t kept pace with the demand. Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ambar Espinoza reports. Seeking Freedom Ona Judge, a runaway slave of President George Washington, lived most of her on New Hampshire’s Seacoast after gaining her freedom. Seen here, a reward advertisement for her return. Photo via Wikimedia Commons. Ona Judge, a runaway slave who evaded George Washington himself, lived most of her years on New Hampshire’s seacoast after gaining her freedom. New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Hanna McCarthy spoke with Erica Dunbar, author of the new book Never Caught: The Washington’s Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, along with others who are working to keep Judge’s history — and the history of the black community in Portsmouth – alive. The first law in New Hampshire to be interpreted as outlawing slavery was passed in 1857, nine years after Judge’s death. Slavery was recognized by law across New England in the colonial period. After the Revolutionary War, emancipation was a gradual process. Image courtesy of Yale University Press. Our guest Manisha Sinha, author of The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition, writes that enslaved people played a much larger role in that process than they’re usually given credit for; in many cases, suing for their freedom. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Fred Bever, Shereen Marisol Merjai, Ambar Espinoza, and Hannah McCarthy Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Tus Ojos” by Héctor Lavoe, “Soul Alphabet” by Colleen Web help this week from Alexandra Oshinskie Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and historical documents to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we hear stories of very different places in battle with the sea. We consider a massive and expensive seawall plan that could save Boston, and coastal adaptation in New Hampshire. We speak with the author of a new book about Martha’s Vineyard — the island tourist hub that’s been slowly eroding for 20,000 years. And from the failed attempt to brand Rhode Island with the slogan “Cooler and Warmer,” to the enduring “Live Free or Die,” to the new “West Mass,” we look inside the marketing of New England. An example of the ecological diversity of Martha’s Vineyard. Adjacent a small pond and inlet on Chappaquiddick, vegetation transitions from salt marsh to shrub wetland and oak and pine forest. Photo by David R. Foster for Harvard Forest Archives, Harvard University Keeping the Ocean at Bay Sitting right at sea level, much of the city of Boston is threatened by any rise in the oceans. And with climate change fueling projections of routine flooding – and worse – over the next couple of decades, city officials have begun looking at what to do. David Abel covers the environment for the Boston Globe. He’s been reporting on the city’s new plan, called Climate Ready Boston, which includes a number of strategies — including a proposal for a seawall that would extend across all of Boston Harbor. Barrier options being considered for Boston Harbor. Graphics by James Abundis for the Boston Globe On the New Hampshire Seacoast, planners are considering more subtle ways to prepare for rising seas, including tearing down a sea wall to allow nature to do the job of protecting the shore. From New Hampshire Public Radio, Jason Moon reports. No Island Is an Island Gay Head cliffs and lighthouse taken in 2011. In 2015, the Gay Head Light was moved back 129 feet due to erosion of the cliffs. Photo by David R. Foster for Harvard Forest Archives, Harvard University “Relentlessly and unavoidably, Martha’s Vineyard is disappearing.” That’s how Harvard ecologist David Foster begins his new book  A Meeting of Land and Sea, Nature and the Future of Martha’s Vineyard. Foster’s referring there to the rapid rate of erosion on parts of the island, but he writes that a greater threat to the Vineyard’s natural beauty is tourism and development. Yet he says the island’s six towns have come up with a way to manage that growth, and can offer an example to other parts of New England. Sachem’s Path is an affordable housing development on Nantucket. Photo by Daniel Richards for the Transom Story Workshop       About six miles southeast of the Vineyard lies Nantucket, an island also known for high-end tourism. On Nantucket, the average house costs $1.2 million. So is there a place for working people to make their homes on the island? From the Transom Story Workshop, Daniel Richards brings us this story of one woman’s hopes of becoming a homeowner on Nantucket. Brand Consciousness The video above is part of a new campaign launched by The Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts to rebrand the region long known as the “Pioneer Valley” as “West Mass.” The video was released in February, and has become the target of social media mockery and an online petition to scrap the new brand. Our guest is Connecticut State Historian Walt Woodward. Before becoming a historian, Woodward worked in advertising from 1970 through 1998, creating place-branding campaigns for cities and states around the country. Woodward talks about the struggles and successes of recent branding campaigns in New England, as well as the New England brand itself, an attempt by colonist John Smith to sell this cold, rocky land to folks back home. NEXT’s home state of Connecticut has had nine different slogans since 1980. The ad below from 2014 riffs off the current state slogan “Still Revolutionary.” And while “Live Free or Die” has endured in New Hampshire, the state has built on it to create a more cheerful message, like in the video below, which encourages visitors to “Live Free and Climb.” Do you have thoughts about place-branding, or your own ideas? Tweet us @NextNewEngland. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jason Moon, Daniel Richards Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and complaints next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: more stores from our series Facing Change, about shifting demographics in New England, and the impact of immigration. A reporter crosses the border to find those leaving the U.S. to seek asylum in Quebec, and we go to prep school to meet a pair of teenage refugees. We meet people trying to build political power in the region’s growing Muslim community, and visit a Spanish-language bookstore that’s open for just five more weeks. A Canadian police officer offers a hand to a migrant crossing the U.S.-Canada border near Champlain, New York. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR Heading North At the Royal Canadian Mounted Police communications center in Montreal, technicians monitor live-camera screens of popular illegal border crossings. If people cross into Canada, command control can alert patrolling police. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are reporting surges in illegal crossings in Canada in recent months. Officials say Quebec has seen the highest influx of people seeking asylum, with many crossing in remote, snowy areas west of Lake Champlain. One illegal border crossing area has become so popular among immigrants seeking asylum that all taxis in Champlain, New York, know it by name: Roxham Road. Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson visited Roxham Road, and found migrants knowingly crossing into police arrest on the Canadian side. Back in Episode 21 we shared the story of the town of Rutland, Vermont, where, at the end of last year, residents were busily preparing for 100 Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Ghena and Ayman Alsalloumi stand on the St. Johnsbury campus on a snowy January day. Their family is from Homs, Syria — a city torn apart by civil war. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC President Trump’s immigration orders have thrown plans like that into doubt. But WSHU’s Cassandra Basler found one Vermont prep school that’s trying their own approach to bring in those fleeing from the war: offering scholarships to refugees already living in the U.S. Cassandra followed teenagers Ayman and Ghena Alsalloumi from the Connecticut shoreline to the snowy north. Below, watch a video of Ayman and Ghena at St. Johnsbury Academy. A Time to Run for Office Somali refugee Deeqo Jibril is running for Boston City Council. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR As more Muslim immigrants come to New England, they’re pushing for a seat at the political table. As WBUR’s Shannon Dooling found, a nonprofit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts is trying to jump-start the effort, encouraging Muslims across the country to run for political office. The group, called Jetpac, trains potential candidates regardless of party affiliation with the goal of increasing civic engagement within Muslim communities. On right, Portland city counselor Pious Ali, one of the first African-born Muslims to hold public office in Maine. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC In Portland, Maine, there’s a Muslim politician who’s already gained substantial political clout. A newly-elected city counselor, he’s working to get out the vote. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever introduces us to Pious Ali. Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong. Photo by Tom Hines, courtesy of Ocean Vuong. “I always had the sense that I was a perpetual trespasser, a guest. And in a way, we were.” – Ocean Vuong More than a million Vietnamese came to the U.S. as refugees in the years after their civil war ended. More than 65 thousand Vietnamese make New England home. Now another massive wave — dislocated Syrians — are seeking safety. It is unclear just how many will be allowed into the U.S. under the Trump administration. These two very different cultures share a common experience. New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman shares a profile of Ocean Vuong, a Vietnamese poet from Hartford, Connecticut who is reaching out to the new refugees. Fabric and Paper American Roots top stitcher Duaa Khalifa. Photo by Patty Wight for Maine Public In Portland Wednesday, Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree held a roundtable with business leaders to highlight the role of  immigration in Maine’s economy. For the venue, Pingree chose a small made-in-the-U.S. clothing company called American Roots, which employs mostly immigrants. Maine Public Radio’s Patty Wight visited in October 2016, when the company was about a year old. Artist Pablo Helguera said that despite continuing growth in the U.S. Latino population, access to books in Spanish is disappearing. That’s the impetus behind a traveling bookstore/art installation that’s making it’s temporary home in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. WBUR’s Simón Rios paid a visit. Project Urbano Director Stella Aguirre McGregor standing in the middle of the current exhibition Librería Donceles, a participatory art project consisting of a traveling bookstore of more than 10,000 used books in Spanish. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Cassandra Basler, Shannon Dooling, Fred Bever, Jill Kaufman, Patty Wight and Simón Rios Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. Find all of the stories from the New England News Collaborative’s Facing Change series. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and tell us how demographics are changing in your community at next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we look at how the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — the Northeast’s plan to cut carbon emissions — has been working, and what the shifting political environment might mean. We dig into a new study about plans to expand natural gas capacity in New England. On a farm in Vermont, we find out what’s really worrying the young people working the land. We also track predators, fly through the air, and dash through the snow pulled by a horse, minus the sleigh. Sliding Otters and Flying Skiers Student Xochitl Ortiz Ross observes a mark on the ice, where an otter has traveled across by sliding on its belly. Photo by Jennifer Mitchell for Maine Public Radio This month, students from College of the Atlantic in Maine are trekking across ice covered lakes and bushwhacking over frozen marshes on behalf of Acadia National Park. As Maine Public Radio’s Jennifer Mitchell reports, they’re checking the pulse of the park, by tracking it’s most fearsome predator: the river otter. Stephen Ressel, biology professor at College of the Atlantic, leads the research project. Photo by Jennifer Mitchell for Maine Public Radio The state of Connecticut is not known for big mountains. But if you travel to the far northwest corner, the Berkshires rise to nearly 2400 feet in the tiny town of Salisbury. It’s there that you find a little piece of Nordic sporting history. For 91 years, Salisbury has been hosting “Jumpfest,” a celebration of ski jumping. During the main event, skiers in brightly colored suits fly off a snow-covered ramp, on top of a 220-foot hill. Judges in the tower watch as a jumper passes by. The competitors are judged on their distance and style. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NEXT Skijoring, 1930. Location unknown. Photo from Nationaal Archief via Flickr Spectators ring cowbells and drink hot toddies, but this isn’t just for fun. The competition is a qualifier for the junior nationals, and most of the jumpers on the big hill are between 12 and 16. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin and photographer Ryan Caron King pay a visit. Scroll to the top of this page for a slideshow of Ryan’s photos from the event. Now, from ski jumping, to skijoring. Never heard of it? Skijorers are pulled across the snow by a horse, a dog or a snowmobile. Skijoring had its moment of glory back in 1928, as a demonstration sport at the Winter Olympics. But enthusiasts are trying to bring it back, as New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin reports. Affordable Care Taylor Hutchinson and Jake Mendell started Footprint Farm in Starksboro about three years ago. They sell vegetables, eggs, and meat through their CSA. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR Making a living as a farmer is full of challenges. It’s often grueling work that relies on unpredictable factors such as weather and global market prices. But one aspect that’s often ignored is the cost of health care. Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson spoke with University of Vermont researcher Soshanah Inwood, who is studying how health care policy affects farmers trying to grow their businesses. And she caught up with some young farmers who say they’d struggle to run their farm without Affordable Care Act subsidies. Jake Mendell of Footprint Farm says he chose farming because he’s passionate about it, but it’s challenging to make a viable living with current food prices. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR If the Affordable Care Act is repealed without a replacement, hospitals in Rhode Island and around New England could take a hit. Rhode Island Public Radio’s Kristin Gourlay tells us that includes money to help cover care for low income patients. And it threatens a new way of paying for patient care. Power Up Environmentalists are eyeing the new Trump administration with skepticism. The president’s choice to be head of the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, has been battling that agency for years, suing the EPA 14 times, and working against efforts to cut carbon emissions. Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins said she wouldn’t support the nomination: “His actions leave me with considerable doubts about whether his vision for the EPA is consistent with the agency’s critical mission to protect human health and the environment,” Collins told Maine Public Radio. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative limits emissions from power plants, like this one in Bridgeport, Conn. Some advocates want to expand the program to cover emissions from cars. Photo by Iracaz for Good Free Photos. New England states are some of those taking the lead on cutting greenhouse gasses. Since 2009, all six New England states, plus Delaware, New York, and Maryland, have worked together in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. RGGI is a cap-and-trade system for energy producers in the nine states. Conceived during the Bush administration, RGGI’s emissions targets are above what the EPA requires. The collaboration has been working, says our guest, environmental reporter Benjamin Storrow. But the new administration may create difficulties for expanding the region’s pollution restrictions further. Storrow has reported on this question for Climatewire from E&E News. A graph from the Synapse Energy Economics report “New England’s Shrinking Need for Natural Gas.” Courtesy of Synapse Energy Economics. One key to New England’s success in cutting greenhouse gas emissions is the move away from coal plants to renewables, and cleaner-burning fuels. That’s meant a shift to natural gas as the region’s dominant energy source. Electric utilities have been making the case for years that even as we rely more on wind and solar power, there’s a growing need for natural gas infrastructure . But a new report from Synapse Energy Economics takes the opposing view. It says the need for gas is actually shrinking — because of laws mandating more renewables — and because of the high cost of building pipelines like the proposed Access Northeast Plan. Our guest Pat Knight is a senior associate with Synapse Energy Economics, and one of the authors of the study.  About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Kristin Gourlay, Jennifer Mitchell, Emily Corwin, Ryan Caron King Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your favorite New England winter sports to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we have updates from New England News Collaborative reporters on the impact of President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travel from seven majority Muslim countries. Another executive order is aimed at punishing so-called “sanctuary cities” — municipalities that refuse to detain undocumented immigrants. Our guest says that’s just the first of many battles we’ll see between cities and the Trump administration. And we hear about a program at a rapidly-diversifying New Hampshire high school that aims to build understanding between American-born students and newcomers. Mazdak Tootkaboni, a UMass Dartmouth professor from Iran, greets his family after several hours being held at Logan Airport. Photo by Shannon Dooling for WBUR Travel Ban The first few weeks of the Trump administration have created confusion for thousands of New Englanders and their loved ones overseas. A ban on travel for refugees and all those traveling from a small group of mostly Muslim countries meant that students studying here on visas might not be able to return to their classrooms in America. It meant long journeys for families fleeing the civil war in Syria. And it meant an indefinite hold on plans to resettle refugees in places like Rutland, Vermont and Northampton, Massachusetts. A judge in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order against the executive order, allowing travel from the seven countries and refugee entry to resume. The federal government challenged the restraining order. An appeals court ruled Thursday not to overturn the lower court’s order. Trump indicated that he will appeal that ruling. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Democrats from Connecticut, greet the newly reunited Kassar family at Olive Tree restaurant in Milford, Connecticut, on Friday. Photo by Cassandra Basler for WSHU New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman has been covering the story of a UMass graduate student from Iran who got stuck while trying to return to the United States. While judges were deliberating whether to halt the travel ban last week, both Connecticut senators intervened after a Syrian mother and two daughters were kept from landing at JKF airport, as WSHU’s Cassandra Basler reports. And from New Hampshire Public Radio, Emily Corwin brings us the perspectives of some Granite Staters who support the immigration restrictions. Cities vs. Donald Trump Immigration rights activist Jesus Sanchez looks at a map of New Haven, one of Connecticut’s “sanctuary cities.” Photo by Ryan Caron King for WNPR. At a briefing this week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that Trump plans to make good on another immigration-related executive order: the one that cuts off funds sanctuary cities. The president has said that sanctuary cities “breed crime,” but there appears to be no evidence to support that claim. Also this week, the Massachusetts cities of Chelsea and Lawrence, both home to large immigrant populations, filed suit against the president saying the order violates the constitutional principles of federalism and separation of powers. The mayors of Boston and Hartford have said their cities won’t comply. And despite the federal threats, even smaller communities like Newton, Massachusetts are considering sanctuary city status. In a recent article in Governing magazine, our guest Alan Greenblatt writes that the fight over this executive order is just the first of many flash points to come between cities and the Trump administration. And he sees a further widening of the divide between metro areas and rural areas in the United States. “Being the Change” at Concord High Social worker Anna-Marie DiPasquale with student Rene Ndutiye at Concord High School. Photo courtesy of Anna-Marie DiPasquale Ten years ago, the demographics of New Hampshire and of Concord High School were almost identical. Both were 93 percent white. While that number has remained steady for the state, the capital city’s high school has diversified in a big way. Today more than 10 percent of the school’s 1,600 students are, or were, refugees resettled from 66 countries. Anna-Marie DiPasquale, the school’s social worker, started a new project this past fall called Travel around the World. The project allows Ms. DiPasquale to visit different classrooms with small groups of refugee students sharing their cultures and traditions firsthand. From New Hampshire Public Radio’s Word of Mouth, Jimmy Gutierrez reports. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Cassandra Bassler, Emily Corwin, Shannon Dooling, Nancy Cohen, Jimmy Gutierrez Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Gold Dayzz” by Ultraista Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and story leads to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Boston has more than rebounded from the great recession, many of New England’s smaller cities are still feeling the pain of de-industrialization. In Massachusetts, some of these former mill towns are plotting a comeback. We take a look at what two so-called Gateway Cities are doing to provide economic opportunity. We also learn about the down and dirty politics of Providence, Rhode Island in the 1970s and ’80s, when city leaders cozied up to the mob, with the makers of the podcast Crimetown. And with the “Greatest Show on Earth” coming to a close, we pay a visit to a museum dedicated to P.T. Barnum in the showman’s hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut. A man walks his dog in front of vacant commercial spaces along Main Street in Fitchburg, Mass. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) Gateway to the American Dream Immigrant workers from Ireland and Germany were some of the first laborers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, filling the city’s 19th-century mill buildings with the hum of textile looms. Today, Lawrence has converted these buildings to refurbished work spaces for artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Shannon Dooling of WBUR brings us the story of how two Massachusetts towns are working to pull their economies into the 21st century. Angie Jimenez is a graduate of Entrepreneurship for All, a business accelerator program in Lawrence. She’s starting a cooking school in a renovated mill building in the city. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) Luis Feliciano cuts the hair of a young boy at the newly opened Brothers Barber Shop on Main Street in Fitchburg. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) It seems that the closer you are to the boom that’s happening in Boston, the better off you are, and the same goes for cities in southwestern Connecticut, in the orbit of New York City. But economic booms bring high housing costs, sometimes far exceeding what lower-wage workers can afford. That’s especially problematic in many of New England’s coastal communities. And as rent prices rise, assistance for those who can’t afford those rents is not keeping pace. We speak with Andrew Flowers, an economics writer at FiveThirtyEight, whose recent article on the subject profiled a family in South Portland, Maine. (Credit: FiveThirtyEight) This segment was first featured on the podcast on September 22, 2016.  Lobsters and Mobsters Logo for the Crimetown podcast. (Credit: Gimlet Media) A Republican who ran on the promise of breaking up the corrupt Democratic machine in Providence in 1974, Vincent “Buddy” Cianci was a hard-working mayor. He’d stay at the office into the night fixing problems,  and would even show up at a fire at two in the morning. But in order to get elected, Cianci cut deals with the political machine, and he “made arrangements” with the local mob. Marc Smerling and Zac Stewart-Pontier, producers of the HBO documentary series the Jinx, sat down with mobsters and bureaucrats years later to create Crimetown, a new podcast from Gimlet Media. Crimetown’s first season chronicles the decades-long dance between Cianci, the mob empire of Raymond Patriarca, and the people of Providence. Marc and Zac talked with NEXT about feeling torn over making their audience “fall in love with gangsters,” and how Providence has changed. Crimetown: Excerpts from “A Promise For Change” Campaign Film from Gimlet Media on Vimeo. This segment was first featured on the podcast on December 15, 2016.  Under the Big Top, Then and Now A poster in the Barnum Museum’s collection entitled “Scenes from a Long and Busy Life.” The poster was created in the early 1880s, when Barnum was in his early 70s. Courtesy of The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, Conn. Last month, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced that it will close after 146 years. The owner cited declining ticket sales after the decision to retire its elephants in 2015, and declining attention spans. The circus’s co-founder, the legendary showman P.T. Barnum, has strong roots in our region. Phineas Taylor Barnum was born poor in rural Bethel, Connecticut. He served on the state legislature, and as mayor in his adopted hometown of Bridgeport, where he made large donations to public works. Artifacts from Barnum’s extraordinary life as a showman are housed at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, an ornate sandstone and terra cotta facade that was built in 1893, two years after Barnum’s death. NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin paid a visit. At the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, Vermont, aspiring circus performers continue to train. The staff there say that in many ways, the future of circus arts has never been brighter. Vermont Public Radio’s Howard Weiss-Tisman reports. Todd Degnan performs on the Cyr wheel at New England Center for Circus Arts. Video by Howard Weiss-Tisman for VPR. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Howard Weiss-Tisman Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads, “The Fairy Wedding Waltz” by Jasper Heard via Youtube. Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your favorite local curiosities to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, immigrants and the mayor of Boston react to President Trump’s executive actions on immigration. Plus, people in mental health crises are getting stuck in emergency rooms, sometimes for days. We consider two very different Boston-area squares that are experiencing gentrification. And finally, the New England accent that time forgot. The Abbott Building, 5 JFK Street at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts (seen here in 2010), has been bought by the investment firm Equity One. The firm plans to turn the Abbott and two adjacent properties into a mall, but is facing opposition from locals. Photo by Daderot via Creative Commons Boston Mayor Pledges to Protect Immigrants; Rutland Welcomes First Syrian Refugees This week’s announcements and executive orders by President Donald Trump on immigration have worried many residents of New England — those here without documentation, and those who run so-called “sanctuary cities.” In one executive order, Trump followed through with his pledge to strip federal funding from communities that are so-called “sanctuaries” for immigrants in the country illegally. That would include Boston, where local police do not detain or question anyone based solely on their immigration status. Layan and Mohammed arrived in Rutland with their parents last week. The new immigrants are now staying with a host family. Photo by Nina Keck for VPR. As WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports, Boston mayor Marty Walsh said that city will continue to be a safe place for immigrants, regardless of their status. In an earlier episode, we heard about how residents of Rutland, Vermont were preparing to greet 100 Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Now it the arrival of these refugees is on an indefinite hold. An executive order signed by the President Friday halts refugee admission from Syria until further notice, and prohibits all refugee resettlement for 120 days. However, Rutland’s  first two refugee families arrived in town last week. Reporter Nina Keck paid one family a visit. The Wait If you break your arm and go to the emergency room at your local hospital, chances are you can get medical care right away. But if you have a severe mental health crisis, it could be days, or even weeks, before you get a hospital bed in several New England states. A painting made by 22 year-old Andrew Dixon while he spent 13 days in an emergency room waiting to be admitted to New Hampshire Hospital. Connecticut has been working to clear a backlog of patients waiting in ERs for a placement in treatment. It’s a problem in Vermont, too, where inadequate mental health staffing means long waits in a place that health care professionals say is the worst setting for these patients. Reporter Jack Rodolico has been looking into this problem in New Hampshire — and what the new Republican-controlled statehouse might do to solve it. A Tale of Two Squares In Cambridge, Massachusetts an ongoing battle over the future of Harvard Square is heating up again. At the center of the latest controversy is the historic Abbott Building at Five JFK Street. It houses the world’s only Curious George store and is also the former home of NPR’s Car Talk. The developer that bought the Abbott and its two adjoining buildings last year — for $85 million — plans to turn them into a mall. Long-term residents are worried that Harvard Square has become so commercial that it’s losing what makes it special. Jim Cronin, father of our guest Louie Cronin, serving Boston baked beans to Elizabeth Taylor at Cronin’s Restaurant in Harvard Square. Photo courtesy of Louie Cronin. About five miles south, a historically Latino and African American neighborhood, Egleston Square, is experiencing rapid gentrification. Below, watch a summer concert in Egleston Square. Egleston Square residents and the city government are mulling over, and sometimes butting heads over, how much affordable housing to require and what the business mix will look like. What can and should residents do to mitigate the effects of gentrification? To answer that complicated question, Louie Cronin joins us, author of a new novel, Everyone Loves You Back, which takes place in Cambridge in the 1990s. Cronin grew up in Cambridge, where her father owned a restaurant, and worked in the Abbott building as a producer for Car Talk. Also joining us is Luis Cotto, executive director of the not-for-profit Egleston Square Main Street. Our columnist Susan Campbell recently wrote about a young Connecticut couple who is looking for a diverse neighborhood to make their home. Got an idea? Email Susan at slcampbell417@gmail.com or tweet her @campbellsl. The Green Mountain Accent  Brave Little State is a podcast from Vermont Public Radio. We’re big fans of Brave Little State, the podcast from Vermont Public Radio. Producers Alex Keefe and Angela Evancie investigate questions that the people of that state want the answers to. One listener, a transplant from New Hampshire, was curious about why the Vermont accent sounds so different from the New England accents she was used to. We invited Alex Keefe on our show to learn more. Can’t get enough? Head over to vpr.net for the full story, and audio clips galore. And don’t forget to submit your question for Brave Little State to investigate next. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Nina Keck, Jack Rodolico, Alex Keefe Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Unsquare Dance” by Dave Brubeck Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your favorite square to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When nonviolent arrestees can’t afford even a low bail, should the bail system be done away with? Plus, an investigation into asbestos exposure in Boston’s renovation boom. We check back in with author Colin Woodard to learn why some in the region he calls “Yankeedom” flipped from blue to red in the presidential election. And one woman remembers the 2007  ICE raid in New Bedford, MA. Chris Webber studies for his GED while held on $500 bail at the Valley Street Jail in Manchester, New Hampshire. Photo by Emily Corwin for NHPR. “Now, I Have to Gasp for Breath” On an given day in Manchester’s Valley Street Jail, several dozen people are being held on bail of $1000 or less. Most are charged with low level offenses, and would be back at home if they could pay their bail. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Emily Corwin reports on New Hampshire’s money bail system, a process some courts in other states have abandoned. South of Manchester, all across the greater Boston area, demolition crews are taking down walls, sometimes entire buildings, in one of the biggest construction booms in decades. But there are concerns that this rampant renovation is creating a new wave of workers that are exposed to an old enemy – asbestos. Mike Dennen, a former construction worker, has mesothelioma, a disease linked to asbestos. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR. An investigation by WBUR and The Eye found that while asbestos abatement projects are on the rise, there are big gaps between the mandated safety standards and what’s happening on the ground. Martha Bebinger and Beth Daley report. Just out: a follow up story about allegations of unpaid wages by asbestos removal companies. Rural Yankees Defect When we launched this show about New England, we knew we wanted writer Colin Woodard on our first episode – and we got him).  Woodard is the author of American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America. The book imagines eleven distinct “nations” connected not by our current governmental boundaries, but by a common culture. 2016 presidential election results calculated for the 11 cultural nations described by Colin Woodard. Image by Christian MilNeil for the Portland Press Herald. In a recent Portland Press Herald article, Woodard explains the presidential election through the American Nations framework – including why some typically Democratic areas in Yankeedom – like Maine’s second district – flipped for Trump this year. We invited him back to the show to learn more. Listen to John’s earlier interview with Colin Woodard for the first episode of NEXT. The Best and Worst a Country Has to Offer Archit Rastogi is studying for his PhD in molecular and cellular biology at UMass Amherst. Photo by Lisa Quinones for the NENC Every year, about 85 thousand overseas students come to study at New England’s Colleges and universities. As New England Public Radio’s Jill Kaufman reports, students and administrators in our region are worried about how the Trump administration’s immigration policies may impact the flow of students into the United States. She found that foreign students are critical when it comes to research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. 2017 marks the ten-year anniversary of an immigration raid that shook the town of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Early in the morning on March 6, ICE officers arrested 361 immigrants working illegally in the U.S. at Michael Bianco Inc, a leather goods factory that made gear for the military. The event gained national attention, and fueled debate about immigration and labor rights. The former site of the Michael Bianco factory in New Bedford, Mass. Photo by Victoria Lora for the Transom Story Workshop. Most of those caught in the raid were deported. Independent producer Virginia Lora brings us the story of one woman who was allowed to stay. We’re calling her by her middle name, Carolina. To read about how Lora reported this story, visit transom.org. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Martha Bebinger, Beth Daley, Jill Kaufman, Virginia Lora Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Special thanks this week to Rob Rosenthal and the Transom Story Workshop! Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, and story leads to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miguel Alcudia was picked up earlier this year by immigration authorities for residing in the state on an expired visa. Despite federal guidelines prioritizing criminals, there are still cases where authorities detain individuals with no record. Photo by Ryan Caron King for NENC Federal policy changes were supposed to end random deportations of people who aren’t criminals, but in parts of New England, it’s still happening. We continue our series “Facing Change” and talk to Vermont farm workers. We also hear how Boston police are enforcing that city’s pro-immigrant “Trust” act. We also explore the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s formative time in the tobacco fields of Connecticut, and the story of how New England’s biggest mountain — home to some of the worst weather in the world — became a tourist haven. Facing Change Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson has been listening to the stories of immigrant farm workers for the New England News Collaborative series, “Facing Change.” Many of these dairy workers are in the country without documentation, and they’ve been increasingly worried about what would happen to them if President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his pledge to increase the number of deportations. One man from Mexico, who works on a dairy farm in Bristol, Vermont, told Masterson through a translator that he’s been living in a climate of fear. He worries about even driving to the store for fear of being pulled over. These farm workers are just a few of about 400,000 immigrants without legal status living and working in New England. In a mostly white state like Vermont, many of them fear they’d be easily targeted because they stand out. In Boston, that’s not the case. In fact, the city passed the Trust Act in 2014 to reassure immigrants that police wouldn’t turn them over to immigration officials. But, as Boston Globe reporter Maria Sacchetti reports, there’s a loophole in that law that allowed police to turn over nine men to federal authorities. Vermont Utility Hack: False Alarm Burlington Electric in Vermont. Photo by Emily Alfin Johnson for VPR We hear about a story of Russian hacking, aimed at a small target — Burlington Electric — a small, city-owned utility in Vermont. The Washington Post story over New Year’s weekend was scary: Russian hackers penetrated the U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont. But that story turned out to be… well, not true. And it caused a mess for the utility. Also, on January 16, we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. He’s a figure we don’t usually associate with New England. But two summers King spent in Connecticut as a young man likely stoked his passion for achieving equality for African Americans. King was 15 when he first traveled to Simsbury, Connecticut — now a suburb, then a small farming town outside of Hartford — to spend the summer working on a tobacco farm. On the podcast, we speak with Simsbury historian Elaine Lange. Below: a short documentary about King’s summers in Connecticut produced by students at Simsbury High School. The Second-Greatest Show on Earth There’s a new, controversial plan to build a hotel in an unlikely place — near the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The 35-room hotel is still in the planning stages. New Hampshire Public Radio reports that the developer has met with the local planning board, but that more than 6,000 people have signed a petition against it. Stereoscopic view of tourists at the Tip Top House on Mount Washington. Photo by Franklin White, accessed via Wikimedia Commons. Famously home of “the world’s worst weather,” Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in the Northeastern United States, and it already hosts a huge amount of tourist infrastructure. In fact, PT Barnum once stood on the summit and called the mountaintop “the second greatest show on earth.” From the podcast Outside/In, Host Sam Evans Brown and Producer Taylor Quimby bring us the tale of how the mountain was conquered, and how that process became the template for mountain tourism worldwide. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Maria Sacchetti, Taylor Dobbs, Sam Evans-Brown and the producers of Outside/In. Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and old-timey photos to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A map of Cape Cod with ribbons representing those lost to substance abuse at the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. Photo by Ryan Sweikert for the Transom Story Workshop. Across New England, there’s been an epidemic of opioid addiction, overdose, and death. This hour, we dig deep into the causes of this crisis with health reporter Martha Bebinger. We travel to Cape Cod to hear firsthand the stories of those affected. We also look for solutions, including for those most at risk of overdose: inmates getting out of prison.  And we examine the role of New England’s traditional dairy industry in creating the landscape we love, as we remember forgotten farms. An Increasing Death Count The crisis of opioid addiction and overdose has taken hold especially hard in New England. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the rate of overdose deaths nationally nearly tripled between 1999 and 2014. Heroin and prescription opioids now account for nearly two thirds of drug overdose deaths in America. Overdose deaths went up by at least 20 percent between 2014 and 2015 in every New England state, well above the national average. Tommy, a repeat patient at the Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment, at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, says the facility has — and will continue to — save lives. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR. Massachusetts saw annual opioid-related deaths more than triple between 2010 and 2015. Data for 2016 is not out yet, but it looks like those rates will be higher still. WBUR health reporter Martha Bebinger joins us to talk about some of the stats, and she takes us to a unique facility in Boston where drug users are being watched over by doctors and nurses — while they are high. We recorded this conversation in October of 2016. As of January 3, 2017, the SPOT clinic has had 2,551 visits and seen 397 individual visitors. In 2015, Barnstable County on Cape Cod was ranked first in Massachusetts in terms of overdose deaths per capita. Part of the response has been increased use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, by first responders and citizens. Independent producer Ryan Sweikert brings us a story told by family members, police, and EMS workers struggling with the problem. Piecing It Together You may have heard of hackathons for solving computing problems. But can a room full of smart people hack the opioid crisis? That’s what doctors, counselors, current and former addiction patients, coders, and others attempted to do over a weekend in Boston last September. Massachusetts General Hospital and the GE Foundation hosted a hack-a-thon at District Hall to come up with novel ideas and technologies to combat opioid abuse. Photo by Joe Difazio for WBUR. Ideas included sensors on bathroom floors that would send an alert when someone is lying down; a mobile syringe exchange and counseling center; and a Fitbit style blood monitor that could inject naloxone into the wearer if needed. Martha Bebinger covered the story. Watch a video about the hackathon produced by the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies: Since we first aired Martha’s report on the opioid crisis hackathon in October 2016, there have been some developments. The team that came up with the idea for wearable pouches that would contain naloxone and signal that the wearer is an ally has received funding from the GE Foundation.  The group – We Are Allies –  is beta testing the pouches, and has a website where you can sign up to participate. The GE Foundation is still considering other teams for a ten thousand dollar award, and plans to announce the winner at an event at Massachusetts General Hospital later this month. Judges will also consider ideas that weren’t presented at the hackathon, like an equine therapy program for drug users. The group that’s most at risk for a fatal opioid overdose is ex-prisoners in the first few weeks after being released. Even those who don’t overdose are very likely to relapse into drug use within a month of leaving jail or prison. WNPR reporter Lori Mack visited a pilot program underway in New Haven, Connecticut that takes a new approach to addiction treatment. It starts before an inmate gets out from behind bars. Read More reporting on opioid addiction from the New England News Collaborative. When the Milk Runs Dry Dairy farms have been folding at an alarming rate. According to a new documentary film, “Forgotten Farms,” New England has lost 10,000 dairy farms in the last 50 years, and many of the remaining farms are struggling. We speak with Sarah Gardener, producer of the film and Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College. “Forgotten Farms” will be screening around New England in the spring. To find a showing near you, visit the film’s website. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Martha Bebinger and Lori Mack Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “It’s Clearing Now” by Birigid Mae Power, “Harbour Lights” by Miaoux Miaoux,”Draft Daughter’s Blues” by the Be Good Tanyas Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and milk mustache selfies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In January of last year, a disabled homeless man was struck and killed by a car in Concord, New Hampshire. Gene Parker’s death raised questions about the causes and effects of homelessness in that state. This week we hear from two reporters who went looking for answers. Plus, listen to what we’ve learned from 50 years in the life of an experimental forest, and what biologists are doing to help big animals move safely under highways. And last, we get an inside look at policing and race discrimination. Conchord resident Liza Urena points to one of the places her friend Gene Parker slept. She brought him meals and gave him rides almost every day, and helped him find safe spots to sleep. Photo by Jack Rodolico for NHPR Homeless in New Hampshire Gene Parker (left) with his friend “Red” Glodgett. Photo submitted by Liza Urena New Hampshire Public Radio reporters Jack Rodolico and Natasha Haverty learned a lot about Gene Parker after his death. They discovered friends who looked out for Parker and a social worker who struggled to find him housing, and learned why finding him a place to live indoors was nearly impossible. Digging into homelessness in their state, Rodolico and Haverty also took a trip to a small town motel, where they met people with incomes, but without permanent homes. We hear stories from their excellent series, “No Place To Go, Homelessness In New Hampshire,”  and discuss possible solutions. “We look out for each other,” Ovi Charast (right) says. That night before he and three friends had slept on the floor of one room at the PK Motel. Photo by Jack Rodolico for NHPR Animal Highways and Experimental Forests Look at a map of New England, and you’ll see lots of forested areas. But a growing challenge for wildlife is that this habitat is increasingly fractured. As humans have built roads and housing developments, crossing between key forest areas — such as between the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains — have become more dangerous for animals like moose and bear. Massachusetts has identified key potential crossing areas to focus on. Credit: The Nature Conservancy To tackle this challenge, New England and eastern Canadian provinces have banded together to preserve what they’ve identified as 9 key critical pathways in the region. Six out of nine of those linkage areas fall in Vermont. As Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson reports,  part of the project involves studying just how animals cross the road. In the early 1960s, a group of environmental scientists began a research project on a scale that had never been done before. Their laboratory was a whole ecosystem: the 7800- acre Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Freezing injury in red spruce needles during the cold winter of 2003 brought about by leaching of calcium from the needles by acid rain. Photo by G.J. Hawley, courtesy Yale University Press One of their first observations – the high acidity of the water in forest streams – led to awareness of acid rain and the eventual amendment of the Clean Air Act in 1990. More than 50 years later, researchers at Hubbard Brook are documenting the effects of climate change, the decline in bird populations, and more. We speak with Gene E. Likens, co-founder of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study and co-author of the book Hubbard Brook: The Story of a Forest Ecosystem, published in May of this year. Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is located in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, about an hour north of Concord. It is open to the public year-round.   “I Stick Out Like A Sore Thumb” Sergeant Lakeisha Phelps and colleagues at the Nashua, NH police department participate in an ice-bucket challenge to raise awareness for ALS, in August, 2014. Phelps is one of two black police officers in a force of 170. Photo by Dean Shalhoup  for the Nashua Telegraph In Episode 5, reporter Emily Corwin of New Hampshire Public Radio brought us her investigation into the criminal justice system in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire – the most populous and most diverse county in an overwhelmingly white state. She found that blacks are six times more likely to be in jail than whites. Jose Rodriguez (L) stands with Providence Police Officer Dean Isabella. Photo by John Bender for RIPR There’s a disparity in the police force, too. In the city of Nashua, there are only two black officers in a police force of 170. This week, Sergeant Lakeisha Phelps tells us what it’s like to be one of those two. Dean Isabella grew up on the western edge of Providence, an area has long dealt with high crime rates. Working as a police officer in the same neighborhood,  Isabella met Jose Rodriguez, a teenager who was in a gang. Years later, their paths crossed again when Rodriguez began working to stop gang violence with the Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-Violence. Isabella and Rodriguez describe how their friendship developed as part of Rhode Island Public Radio’s series “Speaking Across Difference.” About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode:  Natasha Haverty, Jack Rodilico, Kathleen Masterson, Emily Corwin, John Bender Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps nowhere else in the country is the impact of recent immigration trends so pronounced as in New England, where the predominantly white population is quickly aging, and where the influx of young immigrants is changing the identity of the region. This week, we hear from employers who bank on immigrant labor, community members getting ready for an influx of Syrian refugees, and foreign-born workers training to care for the elderly. Members of the Rutland community work with a Castleton University student from Saudi Arabia (right) during an Arabic class in Rutland’s Unitarian Universalist church. Photo by Ryan Caron King / NENC Also, the Connecticut origin story of the Gun that Won the West, and a how the murder of a priest taught us all a lesson about protecting the innocent. This is the Church, This is the Steeple, Where are the People? New England is nearing a demographic crisis. That population of our six states is aging fast, and birth rates are the lowest in the nation. States have been trying to keep young people from leaving, and have become desperate to find young workers who can fill jobs, attract new businesses and pay taxes. Meanwhile, the issue of immigration – a way to get new people into the region – has become polarizing. Those trends – and a search for solutions – are what’s behind the New England News Collaborative’s new series, “Facing Change.” In Maine, policy makers are working to expand services for immigrants with the goal of boosting local economies – but other states haven’t taken up that strategy. New Hampshire Public Radio‘s Emily Corwin takes a look at the data on the impact of immigrants on economic growth. New England’s aging population presents another question: who is going to take care of the region’s Baby Boomers in old age? WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling visited a job training program in Boston to find out. (Credit: Sara Plourde/NHPR) Residents of Rutland, Vermont are deeply divided over the plan to resettle Syrian refugees there. (Credit: Ryan Caron King/NENC) Our last stop on our journey through New England’s demographic changes takes us to Rutland, Vermont. It’s a small, blue-collar city, that’s readying to accept 100 refugees from Syria and Iraq. Not everyone’s thrilled about the idea, but as Vermont Public Radio reporter Nina Keck reports, many locals are working together to make sure the plan succeeds. More stories from the New England News Collaborative’s “Facing Change” series.    “The Damn Yankee Rifle” An engraving from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company (Credit: Connecticut Historical Society) When you think about places where guns are big, you probably don’t think about Connecticut. The Nutmeg State has the sixth lowest gun ownership rate in America, and passed some of the nation’s strictest gun laws after the Sandy Hook tragedy of 2012. But in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, Connecticut was a gun manufacturing center for the world. Oliver Winchester, a shirt maker who grew up in poverty, became one of the titans of the industry, manufacturing a new kind of rifle at his factory in New Haven. Writer and BBC correspondent Laura Trevelyan  chronicles Winchester’s rise, the role of his rifle in American Westward expansion, and more in her new book The Winchester: the Gun that Built an American Dynasty. Winchester rifles were used against Native Americans during the Indian Wars of Westward expansion. But some Native Americans used Winchester rifles to fight the US army and settlers. Geronimo, the the far right, carries his Winchester rifle. (Credit: Yale University Press) Justice for the Innocent When Harold Israel confessed to the murder of a beloved priest, he could have faced the gallows. Instead, he found an unlikely ally in the county prosecutor, Homer Cummings. The two formed a bond that would last a lifetime, and impact further generations. WBUR‘s Lisa Mullins teamed up with Ken Armstrong at The Marshall Project to tell the story. Court transcript. (Credit: Ryan Caron King/WBUR) From left: Darlene Freil, granddaughter of Harold Israel; Theresa Israel, Harold’s daughter-in-law; and Lisa Berrier, Harold’s granddaughter, in Freil’s home in Gilberton, PA. (Credit: Ryan Caron King/WBUR) The Harold Israel trial was the subject of the 1947 film Boomerang! Listen to more interviews about Homer Cummings and Harold Israel’s legacy: About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Shannon Dooling, Nina Keck, Lisa Mullins, Lynn Jolicoeur, Ken Armstrong, and Sean Hurley Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads, “Desert Island Disk” by Radiohead, “Las Vegas Tango” by Gil Evans Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we meet a couple who found themselves drinking water contaminated by radioactive lab waste, and a man who has to wear a hazmat suit to enter his house. We’ll also learn about the down and dirty politics of Providence, Rhode Island in the 1970s and 80s, when city leaders cozied up to the mob. Finally, immigrants to New England give us a sense of what we should be grateful for. Dan and Dawn Crim stand on the front porch of the Laconia, New Hampshire home they fled in 2014. They say shoddy construction and water infiltration led to mold and yeast, which in turn made them and their son sick. (Credit: Jack Rodolico/NHPR) Radioactive Carcasses and Mold Magnates A hand-drawn map of the Rennie Farm burial site provided by Dartmouth College for the initial clean-up. (Credit: Dartmouth College) In Hanover, New Hampshire, near Dartmouth College, there’s a macabre burial site. Lab animals and the chemicals that were used on them – were dumped by researchers in the 1960s and 70s. Now a toxic chemical – 1,4 dioxane – has shown up in the groundwater of nearby homeowners. Rebecca Sananes has been covering the story for Vermont Public Radio, and she gets us caught up. Brady Sullivan Properties has, to put it mildly, had a pretty bad couple of years. They’ve made the news after state and federal investigations into lead contamination and illegal dumping of asbestos. And those are just the cases that made headlines – in recent years there have been other complaints involving Brady Sullivan projects from homeowners and others. NHPR’s Jack Rodolico investigates.  Lobsters and Mobsters Logo for the Crimetown podcast. (Credit: Gimlet Media) A Republican who ran on the promise of breaking up the corrupt Democratic machine in Providence in 1974, Vincent “Buddy Cianci” was a hard-working mayor. He’d stay at the office into the night fixing problems,  and would even show up at a fire at two in the morning. But in order to get elected, Cianci cut deals with the political machine, and he “made arrangements” with the local mob. Marc Smerling and Zac Stewart-Pontier, producers of the HBO documentary series the Jinx, sat down with mobsters and bureaucrats years later to create Crimetown, a new podcast from Gimlet Media. Crimetown’s first season chronicles the decades-long dance between Cianci, the mob empire of Raymond Patriarca, and the people of Providence. Marc and Zac talked with NEXT about feeling torn over making their audience “fall in love with gangsters,” and how Providence has changed. Crimetown: Excerpts from “A Promise For Change” Campaign Film from Gimlet Media on Vimeo. Words in Transit New England Public Radio is out with a new book– Words in Transit: Stories of Immigrants, based their oral history project by the same name. Words in Transit is stories from a diverse group of foreign-born Americans in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, told in their own words. Georges Annan Kingsley, an artist from Cote D’Ivoire, with one of his works. (Credit: Beth Reynolds) Nayomi Dasanayake’s husband and daughter look on as she speaks at Hartford Public Library. (Credit: Bernie Michel) NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin caught up with contributors Georges Annan Kingsley, from Cote D’Ivoire, Nayomi Dasanayake, from Sri Lanka, and Veronica Vaida, from Romania, at a book launch event at the Hartford Public Library. Stay tuned for our upcoming series “Facing Change,” exploring New England’s changing identity, starting next week.   About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Rebecca Sananes, Jack Rodilico, John Voci Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we take a rare look a gigantic battery that’s helping to balance our region’s energy grid. Plus, we get perspective from Maine’s top energy official, who is stepping down. We also take trips to a tiny island where opioid addicts go to seek treatment, and to the city that inspires the country’s most famous horror writer. And we learn what charitable donations — or lack thereof — say about New Englanders. The road into the entry portal of the hydro-electric power plant in Northfield Mountain. At 33-feet in diameter, the tunnel is nearly a mile long and leads 750 feet deep into the heart of the mountain. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) Finding the Right Energy Mix Today’s batteries come in all shapes and sizes. The largest in New England — and once the world — was built 45 years ago and is still working. But it’s hidden, on top and deep inside a mountain in north-central Massachusetts. WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman reports from Northfield Mountain. Inside the Northfield Mountain pumped storage hydroelectric station. (Credit: Jesse Costa / WBUR) The upper reservoir is the battery that powers the Northfield Mountain pumped hydro-electric plant. It holds more than five billion gallons of water. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) In Maine, Republican Governor Paul LePage’s energy director is stepping down from his job at the capitol. “Augusta is really broken,” Patrick Woodcock, who held his position since 2013, told the Portland Press Herald. “Energy policy is really complicated and there’s an over-reliance on special interests,” he said. Patrick Woodcock, director of the Governor’s Energy Office in Maine, is stepping down this week. (Credit: Mal Leary/ Maine Public Radio) Woodcock says he wants to keep working in energy, in Maine, outside of state government. As our region aggressively moves toward more renewable sources of power, he says we need to stay focused on bringing down costs for consumers and businesses. We recorded our conversation with Woodcock on Tuesday. Since, we’ve learned that President-elect Donald Trump has picked Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Pruitt has been a close ally of fossil-fuel companies, questions the human impact on climate change, and has been sharply critical of EPA regulations. We asked Woodcock – as someone who served in the administration of Paul LePage, a governor who has been likened both politically, and in temperament to Donald Trump – what he thinks the impact of Trump’s national energy policy might be on Maine and New England.  You won’t hear Woodcock’s response to this appointment – because, at the time, we had fewer specifics. But he did have some interesting thoughts on the issue. Treatment Island Brett, a program participant at Penikese, learns how to chop wood. (Credit: Karen Brown/NEPR) About a dozen miles off the coast of cape cod sits a rustic island named Penikese, near the end of the Elizabeth Island Chain. A hundred years ago, Penikese was home to a leper colony. Later it housed a school for troubled boys, and a bird sanctuary. This past fall, Penikese opened to its newest incarnation: a treatment program for young men suffering from addiction. The program’s participants live simply: using kerosene lamps and cooking on a wood-burning stove, and minimal access to the internet. New England Public Radio’s Karen Brown takes us there. New Englanders Give Less to Charity, Stephen King Excepted Bangor, Maine is one of the most famous towns in the world, though some may not realize it. Fans of renowned horror author Stephen King know Bangor well, but by another name: Derry. The fictional town is a thinly disguised version of Bangor, where the author has lived for decades. Derry appears in many of King’s stories and provides the major setting for the novel “It.” Maine Public Radio’s Jennifer Mitchell took a tour of the real Derry with a tour company exclusively devoted to showcasing Stephen King’s Bangor. A family poses in front of Stephen and Tabitha King’s home in Bangor Maine during a King-themed tour. (Credit: Jennifer Mitchell/Maine Public Radio) Alongside his wife Tabitha, Stephen King has given millions to public projects in Bangor, according to the city’s Community and Economic Development Department. The Kings have quietly funded upgrades to libraries, fire departments, baseball diamonds and more around Maine. But New Englanders in general look less than generous compared with people in other parts of the country. We give an average of less than three percent of our household incomes to charity, compared to the national average of 4.7 percent. Of course within New England, some states give more than others. With the holiday season upon us, Connecticut-based columnist Susan Campbell took a hard look at household charitable giving in a recent article for the New England News Collaborative. We sat down with Susan and Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. Create column charts About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Bruce Gellerman, Karen Brown, Jennifer Mitchell, Susan Campbell Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “The Mountain” by the Heartless Bastards Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We dig into data showing racial disparities in traffic stops and get a play-by-play of one, talk to historian Colin Woodard about what means to be a Yankee, and get rid of invasive plants and animals… by eating them, with chef Bun Lai of Miya’s in New Haven. Police Traffic Stops and Racial Disparity Getting stopped by police is a good way to ruin any driver’s day. But if you’re African American, data show these stops happen more often, result in more searches, and can break down trust between police and communities. Below is police dashcam video from West Hartford, Connecticut — where, like several other towns in Connecticut, you’re much more likely to be pulled over if you’re black or Hispanic than if you’re white. We hear personal stories and examine the data in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont with WNPR investigative reporter Jeff Cohen. The officer in the video above asks the driver, Paul O. Robertson, what brings him to West Hartford. “Having that line of questioning, honestly, I was just floored,” Robertson said. “Because in my mind, I’m trying to be respectful at the same time, and not create a conflicting situation in that moment. … It is the language, the demeanor, in terms of how it’s communicated. And then, just the line of questioning made me feel like I didn’t belong.” Questioning Yankeedom The map is a thing that’s never more analyzed than during an election year: red states versus blue states, cities versus rural towns, maps divided by gender, age, race, population, and more. And it’s possible there’s been no other election cycle in which we thought we had a map figured out, only to realize we had it all wrong. Writer and historian Colin Woodard has spent a lot of time looking at – and redrawing- the map of the United States. He’s thrown out the idea of “states” … and instead imagines eleven distinct “nations” connected not by our current governmental boundaries, but by a common culture. American Nations map by Colin Woodard, design by Tufts Magazine. In his book, Woodard chronicles how “Yankee” influence spread from New England westward, and even eastward into Canada. New England is the home based of a region Woodard calls “Yankeedom,” stretching from Nova Scotia in Canada west to Minnesota. It’s just one of the nations he describes in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America. Host John Dankosky spoke with Woodard a few months before the election – and we thought his insight into what divides us and brings us together might make even more sense now. We reached him at the library in his home town, Freeport, Maine. Cooking and Eating Invasive Species Wabisabi: Wilk Alaskan Coho Salmon seared in kimchee peppers and wrapped in pickled foraged grape leaves. (Credit: miyasshushi.com) If New England has a regional food, it’s got to be seafood: lobsters, clams, scallops, and for as long as it lasts, cod. Some fish, like cod, are considered “vulnerable” in New England waters. Others, like herring, are in short supply. You might not think about herring as a fish you would eat, but it’s used as bait for those tasty lobsters, and that has lobstermen worried. Depleted stocks, warming waters, pollution, nitrogen runoff — these are all concerns that have us changing the way we think about what we eat from our waters. That’s why a group of chefs, scientists, and fishermen gathered in Rhode Island recently to cook with what’s called “trash” fish, or “bycatch” — the unwanted residue of a commercial fishing operation. Food like that is on the menu at Miya’s, a restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut. It’s known as the birthplace of sustainable sushi. What does that mean? Well, you can’t find the things you’re used to seeing on the menu of the sushi place down the street. Food like farmed shrimp or salmon, or bluefin tuna, or eel, are all replaced by “unwanted” fish like carp, and lots of plants. Some of those come from Bun Lai’s front yard. We spent about 20 minutes stooped over on a sweltering day last summer filling a basket with wild mustards, mugwort, and dandelion weeds. Bun Lai called it “lunch.” In October, Bun was one of twelve people from across the country to be recognized as “White House Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood.” About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jeff Cohen, Lydia Brown, Galen Koch, Jonathan McNicol, Kristin Gourlay, Emily Corwin Music: Todd Merrell, and Goodnight Blue Moon‘s “New England” Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A report in Massachusetts found cases of serious abuse and neglect at a private special education school, illuminating a larger problem. Also this hour, we head to Block Island, Rhode Island, where the nation’s first offshore wind farm is about to get spinning. And on Soundcloud: from Brady to Big Papi to Bentley, Only A Game‘s Bill Littlefield gives us his take on New England sports culture. What’s Wrong With Special Ed? Marie walks with her 13-year-old son, who has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, as he rides his bike through their Norfolk neighborhood during the first weeks of summer vacation. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) A recent report from the Boston-based Disability Law Center found widespread abuse and neglect at a private special education school in Middleborough, a town in the southeast corner of Massachusetts. The report detailed verbal and emotional abuse by staff, and inadequate supervision resulting in runaway students, medication errors, and more. An administrative building on the Chamberlain School’s Middleborough campus. (Shannon Dooling/WBUR) There are worries that the problems seen at Chamberlain International School might be more widespread. WBUR and the investigative journalism unit “The Eye” investigated private special education schools that serve some of the most vulnerable students in Massachusetts. For parents, figuring out which of these schools is the right fit for their child can be a complicated maze, even as the demand for special education grows. We’re joined by WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling.   The Sea Breeze Is More Than Refreshing Turbines at the country’s first offshore wind farm, located about 15 miles from the coast of Rhode Island, are set to begin turning after operators Deep Water Wind get the final sign-off from regulators, expected before the end of the year. The five turbines are expected to provide most of the power for Block Island, a tourist destination and home to about 1,000 people. The Block Island Wind Farm is tiny by global standards, but it’s the culmination of many years of negotiations between wind power companies, governments, and advocacy groups. Greg Cunningham, an attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, says the project represents just a taste of what’s possible for wind power generation in New England coastal waters. U.S. Department of Energy estimates of wind resource potential (Credit: NREL) One of the concerns about offshore wind has been the impact on the environment. Not just birds, but also fish that swim nearby. A small crew of fishermen has been working with scientists to gather data and learn how fishing will or won’t change around the Block Island turbines. Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ambar Espinoza reports. Root for the Home Team Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, nicknamed “Big Papi,” bids goodbye to fans after losing to the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park in October. The game marked Ortiz’s retirement. (Credit: Charles Krupa/AP) As a region, New England is held together by history and tradition, geography and politics. But what about sports? There are, of course, the Patriots — the only NFL team to use a region to define its territory. They’re a powerhouse, off to another great start, despite their star Tom Brady missing games at the beginning of the season due to the deflategate controversy. They’ve only really held a grip on New England since the 1990s, and they’re as likely to be loathed outside of our region as loved within it. Then there’s Red Sox Nation, a fan base with a deep-seated love of the baseball team from Boston that stretches from Maine, across to Vermont, and south to (most of) Connecticut. We wanted to find out more about the sporting culture of New England, and the role that sports can play in helping to define us… so we turn to Bill Littlefield, the longtime host of Only a Game, a weekly NPR show about sports that’s produced at WBUR in Boston. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Ambar Espinoza and Bill Littlefield Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Family and Genus” by Shaky Graves, “Sweet Caroline” by the O’Neill Brothers, “Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and photos of your Thanksgiving dinner to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have more choices for our Thanksgiving meal than the Pilgrims could have dreamed of. But did we make the right choice when we decided to breed traits like herbicide resistance into some of our most common crops? And should we have the right to know when we’re buying foods made with genetic engineering? We hear from both sides of the GMO debate. Later, we visit an innovative policing program that changes the relationship between police and people with opioid addiction. Plus, a reporter interviews one (in)famous pilgrim, and a tribe welcomes visitors to a new cultural district on Martha’s Vineyard. Sweet corn that you buy at the farm stand or supermarket in the summer is not genetically modified. But genetically engineered corn is used as an additive in processed foods and included in livestock feed. (Credit: United Soybean Board) Engineered Writer Caitlin Shetterly suffered for years with a series of  puzzling symptoms: constant colds, tingling and numbness, rashes, and all-over pain and weakness. She tried every treatment she could find, with no relief. That’s until an allergist recommended she tried eliminating GMO corn from her diet. She managed to do so, and her health improved. That’s what set Shetterly off on a journey — interviewing farmers, scientists, and activists — that led to her recent book, Modified: GMOs and the Threat to Our Food, Our Land, Our Future.  It’s difficult for consumers to make informed decisions on the safety of GMOs, because most of the research is either carried out by or funded by companies like Monsanto, which manufacture the modified seeds, says Shetterly. A report published this May from the National Academies of Sciences found GMO foods to be safe. However, the report recommended testing GMO crops for residue from glyphosate, the main ingredient in the herbicide Roundup (which is routinely sprayed on GMO crops, since they are bred to be immune to the weedkiller). The WHO’s cancer agency last year classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.” This year, though, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and a different WHO body declared glyphosate “unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans” through our food. Campbell’s says it wants to be transparent about the GMO ingredients used in its foods, regardless of legal requirements. (Credit: Kathleen Masterson/ VPR) With all of this confusing information, you might want to play it safe by avoiding genetically modified ingredients. Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine all have GMO labeling laws on the books. But federal legislation signed by President Barack Obama in July nullified the state laws. And advocates complain the federal law does not go far enough. To break down the politics and economics of the GMO debate, Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson joins us. Something Totally Different John Rosenthal, left, co-founded the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery program in Gloucester, Mass. Steve Lesnikoski, right, was his first client. (Credit: Kristin Gourlay/ RIPR) “You have to be in this absolute desperate state and just devoid of humanity to really change. And that’s where I was. I was dead inside. And I saw this beacon of light all the way across the country, and I was like, why not?” – Steve Lesnikoski, former heroin user The opioid addiction crisis in New England has physicians, community care-givers, and addiction treatment professionals scrambling to respond. Police departments are responding as well. Many have added the overdose rescue drug, Narcan, to their tool belts. Others have stepped up efforts to prosecute heroin dealers. But in Gloucester, Massachusetts, there’s a program that flips policing on its head to help addicts find treatment. Rhode Island Public Radio’s Kristin Gourlay has the story. Find more of her reporting on RIPR’s health blog, The Pulse. Legacies Tourists walk through the Shops at Aquinnah, part of the newly established Aquinnah Cultural District on Martha’s Vineyard. (Credit: Andrea Shea/WBUR) Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal member Berta Welch is owner of the Stony Creek Gift Shop in Aquinnah, on Martha’s Vineyard. The shop originally opened 75 years ago. (Credit: Andrea Shea/ WBUR) Even though the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe has lived on Martha’s Vineyard for more than 10,000 years, tourists who flock to the island don’t always know about or get to experience the rich history. But now people from the tribe and the town of Aquinnah are working together to tell that story — and to boost the local economy — with a new, state-designated cultural district. WBUR reporter Andrea Shea takes us there. Find a text version of Andrea’s report along with photos at WBUR’s ARTery. Buddy Tripp, a Myles Standish reenactor at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Mass. “I am afraid of nothing but God,” Tripp tells reporter Annie Sinsabaugh, in character. (Credit: Annie Sinsabaugh/ Transom Story Workshop) Whether it’s civil war generals depicted in town square statues in the South, or the controversy over Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, Americans are grappling with the complicated history of iconic figures. The Myles Standish Monument in Duxbury, Mass. (Credit: Scott Christy) New England is no exception. At Yale University, students have protested a dorm named after John C. Calhoun, a former U.S. Senator, Vice President, and supporter of slavery. In the state of Vermont and the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Columbus Day is now Indigenous People’s Day. Reporter Annie Sinsabaugh wonders if the same scrutiny should be applied to a man seen as a hero to the pilgrims: Myles Standish. Her story was reported as part of the Transom Story Workshop. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Kathleen Masterson, Kristin Gourlay, Andrea Shea, Annie Sinsabaugh Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Mr. Farmer” by the Seeds Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads to next@wnpr.org, and tell us what you’re thankful for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reliably “blue” New England turned several shades of red on Election Day, November 8. President-elect Donald Trump picked up an electoral college vote in northern Maine, and essentially tied Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire (the race has been too close to call for days). Republicans won the governors’ races in New Hampshire and Vermont. Jenny Cheung of Braintree, Mass. was volunteering for Donald Trump in Nashua, New Hampshire and election day. Cheung told reporter Shannon Dooling she was volunteering in New Hampshire because it’s a swing state. (Credit: Shannon Dooling/WBUR) Republicans also took some hard defeats. New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte lost her seat to Democrat Maggie Hassan. Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts worked hard on two ballot initiatives, neither of which went his way. Meanwhile, we saw long lines at polling places and very high turnout. We turn to turn to a few of our reporters who covered the issues, and talked to voters. Later in the show, a dying tree gets a second life in Vermont, and the Delta Blues thrives in Portland, Maine. The Purple Zone I felt like some people were gonna call me an idiot if I voted for one person, other people were gonna call me an idiot for voting another person. If I voted  third party I was an idiot ’cause I was throwing away my vote. If I didn’t vote at all I was un-American. It was a tough election this year. – Kristen Snyder, Nashua, New Hampshire We start up north, with the two states making the biggest national headlines and seeing enormous spending on TV ads: New Hampshire and Maine. Fred Bever reports for Maine Public Radio, and Emily Corwin is from New Hampshire Public Radio. Marijuana legalization advocates at the Yes on One Election Night event in Portland, Maine. (Credit: Rebecca Conley/ Maine Public Radio) First time voters at the polls in Manchester, New Hampshire. (Credit: Shannon Dooling/ WBUR) No on 2 Voters in New Haven’s Ward 7 wait outside to cast their ballot on Election Day. (Credit: New Haven Independent) Election Day in New England was not without hiccups. In New Haven, Connecticut, WSHU reporter Cassandra Basler met voters who had been waiting for hours — in the wrong line. And WBUR’s Shannon Dooling spoke with election monitors who told her ballots cast in the state’s new early voting system caused a holdup on Tuesday. Massachusetts Ballot Question 2, which would have allowed for 12 new charter schools to open each year, was the most expensive in the state’s history, with about $40 million spent by both sides. Voters in both urban and rural areas rejected the measure, with 62 percent of statewide vote against. If you haven’t been paying close attention, you might wonder why such a hard battle was fought over charters, in a state with such a strong reputation for public education. For analysis, we turn to Max Larkin, who has been covering the debate over Question 2 for WBUR’s Edify. Mass. Governor Charlie Baker said he would “feel sick” if voters in suburban areas voted against Question 2 and voters in urban areas voted in favor. The results were quite different. (Credit: WBUR) Putting Down (and Tearing Up) Roots An hour into the process of felling a 109-foot slippery elm in Vermont. (Credit: Kathleen Masterson/VPR) One of the largest remaining elm trees in New England has died. But the wood from the 109-foot-tall slippery elm tree is heading on to a new life — as custom furniture. A percentage of the sales proceeds will support research to breed elms that are resistant to Dutch elm’s disease. The fungal disease, carried by an invasive insect, killed millions of stately elm trees across the country beginning in the early part of the last century. Vermont Public Radio’s Kathleen Masterson reports. View more photos from Kathleen’s story. Samuel James is a musician and storyteller with roots in traditional acoustic blues. But he’s making his mark writing new songs, as well as covering those from the past. James tours nationally and internationally. He was born and raised in Maine, and calls Portland home. Samuel James is the producer of the web series Kitty Critic, which features Portland-area musicians playing in their fans’ homes… for their fans’ cats. His upcoming album, Already Home Recordings Volume 2 will be released next week. The profile featured here was produced by Shane Perry at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Fred Bever, Cassandra Basler, Shannon Dooling, Max Larkin, Kathleen Masterson, Shane Perry Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, Samuel James Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and post-electoral ruminations to next@wnpr.org.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With days to go before the election, we put New England’s changing political DNA under the microscope with pollster and University of New Hampshire political scientist Andrew Smith. We also have an update on the roadside outhouse turned voting booth from Episode 11. Plus, renewable energy is best for the planet, but reality here is a little…gassier. And we take a detour from the campaign trail and head for the hills, and mountains. One of These Things is Not Like the Others Should New Hampshire’s outsize roll in presidential politics be reconsidered? (Credit: NHPR) New England is seen as reliably Democratic. Along with New York, it’s part of a big blue blob in the upper right hand corner of those election maps we’ve seen all too much of. But it wasn’t always like this. And, as we know, there’s one state, with a famous independent streak, that has always been a little different. A poll by WBUR in Boston – taken less than a week before election day – shows Republican Donald Trump pulling slightly ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. While the Granite State seems like an outlier, political scientist Andrew Smith says it’s really the last state in a regional shift from Republican to Democratic that’s been happening across decades. We invited him into the studio to learn about how and why New England’s political DNA is changing. Smith teaches political science at the University of New Hampshire, and directs the UNH Survey Center. He’s co-author of the book The First Primary: New Hampshire’s Outsize Role in Presidential Politics. New Hampshire voters may take elections seriously, but a few weeks back we met one Granite Stater who definitely doesn’t take them too seriously. Chris Owens hung a sign reading “Official NH Voting Booth” on an outhouse at his farm stand, and invited visitors to “cast their ballots” for Trump or Clinton in one of two toilets inside. The results are in! New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley reports. Farmstand owner Chris Owens posted the results of his poll a week before the election. (Credit: Sean Hurley/ NHPR) Got the urge to nerd out over New Hampshire politics? Check out New Hampshire Public Radio’s database of election results going back to 1970. Gas Pains For months, clean energy advocates have been anxiously awaiting the results of a contest of sorts. It was a request for proposals by the three Southern New England states, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to build new project that would help the region meet both its greenhouse gas emissions goals – and overall energy needs. When the winners were unveiled, there were some big surprises. First, the mix of wind and solar projects, totaling 460 megawatts, are largely located in southern New England. That means large wind farms proposed in northern Maine, and a transmission project for Canadian Hydro-Power lost out. Pipes for a proposed natural gas pipeline in South Dakota are stacked at a staging area. (Credit: Nati Harnik/AP) The other big surprise was that the state of Connecticut pulled the plug on another plan, to construct more natural gas pipelines in the state. It was prompted by previous decisions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that said it was unconstitutional to pass along the cost of building pipelines to electric customers. That would have left Connecticut ratepayers on the hook – without help from their regional neighbors. Protesters rally in downtown Pittsfield, Mass. before an injunction hearing on a natural gas pipeline in July, 2016. (Credit: Adam Frenier/ NEPR) This might mean the end of big pipeline projects like “Access Northeast.” And, it raises questions about the need for more gas-fired power plants, including those that have met with local opposition in Connecticut and Rhode Island. But Connecticut officials are saying, “not so fast.” Right now, New England gets more than 50 percent of it’s power from gas, and state regulatory commissioner Katie Dykes says the fuel is necessary for the region to provide reliable, year-round power – even as it invests more in renewable energy. Dykes been part of this process in her previous role as Connecticut’s Deputy Commissioner for Energy. She told us that the decision to halt the pipelines was done to protect ratepayers in her state. Take a Hike If you’re thinking, that tree couldn’t have grown that way naturally, your instincts are correct. (Credit: John Voci/NEPR) If you spend any time walking in the woods, you see a lot of strange looking trees — trees shaped by the wind, or split by lightning. And — occasionally — some twists and turns are man-made. When walking in the woods near his Putney, Vermont, home, Dan Kubick discovered a most unusual tree. New England Public Radio’s John Voci has our story. Emma Gatewood with Thomson brothers (from left) Tom, seven; David, nine; and Peter, 11; near the Thomson home in Orford, New Hampshire, on her through hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1955. (Courtesy of Peter Thomson) You might know someone who’s gone out looking for his or herself along the Appalachian Trail. Next year will mark the 80th birthday of the 2100- mile footpath. A third of the trail runs through New England, including its most rugged parts, ending at the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood made headlines when she became the first woman to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, back in 1955. She was 67 years old, and wore Keds. Writer Ben Montgomery, Emma’s great great nephew, tells her story. Ben Montgomery’s book, Grandma Gatewood’s Walk came out in paperback earlier this year.   About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Anthony Brooks, Sean Hurley, John Voci, Elliot Rambach Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Roast Beef of Old England” by the US Marine Band, “Sunrise Blues” by Samuel James Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and tales from the trail to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we meet some of the refugees coming to New England from Syria and Iraq. Our host John Dankosky talks Patriots, Red Sox, and more with Bill Littlefield, host of WBUR’s Only a Game. And in honor of Halloween, we learn about a New England tradition you’re probably less familiar with: exhuming vampires. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: What we know, and what we don’t, about PCBs in New England’s schools. Plus, what we’ve learned about acid rain, climate change and more from 50 years of research in a New Hampshire forest, and what biologists are doing to help animals like bear and moose to move safely around human infrastructure. And finally, a peek into the surprisingly bad-ass world of bird-watching. (more…)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Credit: Rachael Bender via Flickr This week, disagreements over land and money pit neighbor against neighbor. In Vermont, the question is whether to build more wind turbines to help meet the state’s ambitious renewable energy goals. In Rhode Island, the fight is over which kinds of farmers get government help buying land. And with referendums that would legalize marijuana for recreational use on the ballot in Massachusetts and Maine, what’s the potential for a new black market in neighboring states? Plus, we get inside the head of the kind of embezzler who makes big news in a small state, and we visit an outhouse re-purposed as a ballot box. This Land Is Whose Land? Residents of Windham, Vermont WIndham, look over a map of the new layout for a proposed wind development. (Credit: Howard Weiss-Tissman/ VPR) Voters in the Vermont towns of Grafton and Windham will vote soon on a proposal by a Spanish renewable energy company to build that state’s biggest wind farm. Vermont has aggressive clean energy goals — and plans like this are a way the state hopes to meet them. But the project has become politicized — the vote comes in the middle of a race for governor. It’s also raised questions about just how far a big company can go to garner support for a controversial project. We’re joined by Howard Weiss-Tisman, Southern Vermont correspondent for Vermont Public Radio. You can find his recent report on the wind turbine controversy here. For more, a New York Times story zeroes in on the payments energy developer Iberdrola is offering residents of the two towns where the turbines would be built.   Tess Brown-Lavoie co-founded Sidewalk Ends Farm five years ago in Providence on a small vacant lot that belongs to an absentee landlord. She supports the state’s program to help new farmers access land. (Credit: Ambar Espinoza/ RIPR) In Southern New England land is scarce. That makes farming really expensive. In fact, Rhode Island is the most expensive place to grow food in the country. To compensate, the state government has set up a program to acquire open space, and help new farmers buy land. But that attention paid to these new farmers — part of a “local food” movement that promotes small and organic farming — can cause a rift between them and larger family farms. Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ambar Espinoza reports on this land acquisition plan, and the questions it raises about the government’s role in setting the price of an acre of farmland. You can read Ambar’s story here. For more on the challenges of farming in New England – particularly dairy farming, check out our interview with the producer of the film “Forgotten Farms” in last week’s episode. Pot on the Ballot: Bootleggers and College Kids Stephens Hall on the campus of the University of Maine in Orono. Administrators there say they would increase prevention efforts on campus if marijuana is legalized in Maine. To receive federal money, public universities must prohibit marijuana and other drugs on campus. (Credit: Yassie via Wikimeda Commons) When voters in Massachusetts and Maine head to the polls this November, they’ll be faced with ballot questions about whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Big money has flowed into the campaigns on both sides, sparking arguments about bringing an end to the failed “war on drugs,” over the science of how dangerous the drug is, and how legal pot might affect the ongoing opioid epidemic. But, as Fred Bever from Maine Public Radio reports, Western states that have already legalized face challenges that some Maine voters are worried about. The concern is over smugglers who set up shop in a “legal” state – and export it to states where it’s illegal, untaxed, and even more profitable. As voters, college students in Maine might play a big role in whether the ballot question gets passed. Marijuana use on campuses is at its highest level since 1980, but as Maine Public Radio’s Robbie Feinberg reports, students might not see any big changes even if the drug becomes legal. Both of those stories are part of Maine Public Radio’s reporting series “High Stakes.” Medical marijuana is legal in Massachusetts. But advocates for full legalization say the state’s seven dispensaries aren’t accessible for many. (Credit: Dank Depot via Flickr) As Massachusetts considers the question of legal recreational marijuana, it’s doing so with a much different tax model than other states. The Massachusetts plan starts with only a 3.75 percent excise tax, about half of what Colorado imposes. Opponents say the low tax won’t cover the added medical costs of legalization. The topic was part of a debate presented by WBUR’s Radio Boston, The John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and The Boston Globe.   Small State Crooks and Scatological Democracy Is your town’s historical society at risk for embezzlement? You might be surprised. Do a little digging, and you’ll find no shortage of embezzlement stories around New England. There was a tax collector in Anson, Maine for 42 years, who manipulated adding machine tapes to skim the top off excise tax payments when residents registered their cars, stealing over $500,000. A priest in Manchester, New Hampshire who spent diocese money on gifts and travel for a musician he was having an affair with. Also in New Hampshire, employees in three separate towns have been caught siphoning funds from the local historical society. When a listener of Brave Little State, the people-powered podcast by Vermont Public Radio asked the question: “What’s with the high occurrence of embezzlement cases in Vermont?”, reporter Angela Evancie started her investigation. The answer, to say the least, is complicated. Angela joins us to talk about it. Click here for her original story, along with a readable version. The rare “two-seater” outhouse with a mannequin representing Hillary Clinton. (Credit: Sean Hurley/ NHPR) Chris Owens always wanted an outhouse at his farm stand in Ashland, New Hampshire. Then during the construction phase, he had a Eureka moment. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley brings us the story. There’s more from Sean here. Chris Owens poses with a Donald Trump mannequin outside of his outhouse. (Credit: Sean Hurley/ NHPR) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Howard Weiss-Tisman, Ambar Espinoza, Fred Bever, Robbie Feinberg, Angela Evancie, and Sean Hurley Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and embezzlement tales to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A map of Cape Cod with ribbons representing those lost to substance abuse at the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. (Credit: Ryan Sweikert) Across New England, there’s been an epidemic of opioid addiction, overdose, and death. This hour, we dig deep into the causes of this crisis with health reporter Martha Bebinger. We travel to Cape Cod to hear firsthand the stories of those affected. We also look for solutions, including for those most at risk of overdose: inmates getting out of prison.  And we examine the role of New England’s traditional dairy industry in creating the landscape we love, as we remember forgotten farms. An Increasing Death Count These days, the opioid addiction epidemic makes headlines constantly. Nationally, opioid overdose deaths hit record levels in 2014, the most recent year for which there is data. Of those deaths, 10,574 involved heroin, and 5,500 were caused by prescription opioids. Earlier this week, the DEA announced it would cut back the production of prescription opioid drugs by 25 percent next year. Nearly every New England state has exceeded the national average for overdose deaths, with big spikes in the last few years coming in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. In the Bay State, four to five people die of overdose on an average day. WBUR health reporter Martha Bebinger joins us to talk about some of the latest stats, and she takes us to a unique facility in Boston where drug users are being watched over by doctors and nurses — while they are high. Tommy, a repeat patient at the Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment, at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, says the facility has — and will continue to — save lives. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) Find Martha’s original report here. In 2015, Barnstable County on Cape Cod was ranked first in Massachusetts in terms of overdose deaths per capita. Part of the response has been increased use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, by first responders and citizens. Independent producer Ryan Sweikert brings us a story told by family members, police, and EMS workers struggling with the problem. Piecing It Together You may have heard of hackathons for solving computing problems. But can a room full of smart people hack the opioid crisis? That’s what doctors, counselors, current and former addiction patients, coders, and others attempted to do over a weekend in Boston last month. Ideas included sensors on bathroom floors that would send an alert when someone is lying down; a mobile syringe exchange and counseling center; and a Fitbit style blood monitor that could inject naloxone into the wearer if needed. WBUR’s Martha Bebinger covered the story. Massachusetts General Hospital and the GE Foundation hosted a hack-a-thon at District Hall to come up with novel ideas and technologies to combat opioid abuse. (Credit: Joe Difazio/WBUR) The group that’s most at risk for a fatal opioid overdose is ex-prisoners in the first few weeks after being released. Even those who don’t overdose are very likely to relapse into drug use within a month of leaving jail or prison. WNPR reporter Lori Mack visited a pilot program underway in New Haven, Connecticut that takes a new approach to addiction treatment. It starts before an inmate gets out from behind bars. Read Lori Mack’s story. More reporting on opioid addiction from the New England News Collaborative. When the Milk Runs Dry The harvest season in New England will wrap up soon. But for our region’s principal agricultural product, dairy, production never stops — until a farm goes out of business. Dairy farms have been folding at an alarming rate. According to a new documentary film, “Forgotten Farms,” New England has lost 10,000 dairy farms in the last 50 years, and many of the remaining farms are struggling. We speak with Sarah Gardener, producer of the film and Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College. “Forgotten Farms” is showing around the region this fall. To find a screening near you, visit the film’s website. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Martha Bebinger and Lori Mack Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “It’s Clearing Now” by Birigid Mae Power,” Gold Dayzz” by Ultraista Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and milk mustache selfies to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sergeant Lakeisha Phelps and colleagues at the Nashua, NH police department participate in an ice-bucket challenge to raise awareness for ALS, in August, 2014. Phelps is one of two black police officers in a force of 170. (Credit: Dean Shalhoup/ Nashua Telegraph) This week, we bring you more stories about policing and race in four New England states. The top court in Massachusetts has ruled that fleeing from police might be legal as well as in the best interests of black men in Boston. Bridgeport, Connecticut looks to remake its police force more in the image of its population. And in Nashua, New Hampshire, a black officer deals with her own feelings about police shootings; and a young Latino man, who used to be in a Providence gang, befriends a white city police officer. We also travel to The Big E, a massive agricultural fair that draws people from all over the region to argue over what kind of lobster roll is the best. Plus, our favorite science reporter refreshes us on the science behind fall foliage. “They Look Like You, They Talk Like You” When Jimmy Warren was approached by Boston police officers on the street in December, 2011, he ran. Later, he was arrested and searched. Warren had no contraband on him, but police found an unlicensed gun in a nearby yard. Warren was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, and convicted. But last week, the highest court in Massachusetts overturned the conviction. The justices said Warren running from the police should not have been used as a basis for suspicion, citing reports by the Boston Police Department and the ACLU of Massachusetts that found a pattern of discrimination against black men by the force. WBUR digital reporter Zeninjor Enwemeka has been covering the ruling – which she says has broader implications – and joins us on NEXT. Cadets from the Bridgeport, Connecticut police academy practice for their graduation ceremony, earlier this month. (Credit: Jeff Cohen/ WNPR) In Bridgeport, Connecticut, where more than 60 percent of residents identify as black or Hispanic, the city is making an effort to enroll new officers who live in town. It’s an attempt to make a police force that looks more like the city it serves. We’re joined again by WNPR reporter Jeff Cohen, who covers race and policing in Connecticut. (If you missed our first segment with Jeff on race-based traffic stops, be sure to check it out here.) “I Stick Out Like A Sore Thumb” In Episode 5, reporter Emily Corwin of New Hampshire Public Radio brought us her investigation into the criminal justice system in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. It’s the state’s most populous and most diverse county in what is an overwhelmingly white state. She found that blacks are six times more likely to be in jail than whites. There’s a disparity in the police force, too. In the city of Nashua, there are only two black officers in a police force of 170. This week, Emily introduces us to one of those officers, Sergeant Lakeisha Phelps. Jose Jose Rodriguez (L) stands with Providence Police Officer Dean Isabella. (Credit: John Bender: RIPR) Dean Isabella and Jose Rodriguez grew up on the western edge of Providence, several decades apart. The area has long dealt with high crime rates. Isabella now works there as a city police officer. That’s how he met Rodriguez, a teenager in the neighborhood who was also an active gang member. Years later, their paths crossed again when Rodriguez began working to stop gang violence with the Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-Violence. Isabella and Rodriguez describe how a kid from the neighborhood and a cop became close friends as part of Rhode Island Public Radio’s series “Speaking Across Difference.” Pleasure Horses, Lobster Rolls, and State Pride at The Big E Rider Jillian Silva introduces her horse, Indy, to the camera after winning a park horse competition. (Credit: Ryan King/ WNPR) The Eastern States Exposition – better known as The Big E – is a massive fair that runs for two weeks in the fall in West Springfield, Massachusetts. This is The Big E’s centennial year. The exposition was the brainchild of Joshua L. Brooks, a printer from Springfield, who also operated a farm. At the time, even as industry was booming in New England, farming was in decline – local farmers couldn’t compete with the farms out in the fertile land of the Midwest. Pig racing at The Big E. (Credit: Ryan King/ WNPR) Brooks’s idea was to start an event that would showcase new farming methods and technology, and establish competitive awards that would motivate farmers to produce more efficiently. Brooks got a group of businessmen together, they purchased some land in Springfield. And they convinced the National Dairy Association, which was headquartered in Chicago, to have their exhibition here instead of the Midwest. The dairy show was held in September 1916, and by the next year, Brooks had the agricultural showcase that he envisioned. A woman selling lobster rolls in the Maine building says Maine lobster rolls are better than the Connecticut kind. Host John Dankosky disagrees. (Credit: Ryan King/WNPR) Today, The Big E features many attractions familiar to country fairs. There are still livestock competitions, and of course, lots of greasy fair food. But it’s also a uniquely pan-New England event. On the grounds, six permanent buildings showcase the goods, cuisines, attractions and quirks of each state in our region. As a show about New England, the state buildings were what drew us to the fair — and they did not disappoint. There was so much to see and do at The Big E, we couldn’t possibly take it all in. For a preview, check out this video by the wonderful Ryan Caron King. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jeff Cohen, Patrick Skahill Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and ideas for your state’s new motto to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man walks his dog in front of vacant commercial spaces along Main Street in Fitchburg, Mass. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) While Boston has more than rebounded from the great recession, many of New England’s smaller cities are still feeling the pain of de-industrialization. But in Massachusetts, some of these former mill towns are plotting a comeback. We take a look at what two so-called Gateway Cities are doing to provide economic opportunity — and we consider how the high cost of rental housing in growing towns can keep some low-income New Englanders from getting a leg up. In the second part of this episode, we continue our series about the biggest issues facing each of the New England states this election season. And finally, we remember an iconic New England restaurant chain as it fades from the region. Gateway to the American Dream Immigrant workers from Ireland and Germany were some of the first laborers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, filling the city’s 19th-century mill buildings with the hum of textile looms. Today, Lawrence has converted these buildings to refurbished work spaces for artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Shannon Dooling of WBUR brings us the story of how two Massachusetts towns are working to pull their economies into the 21st century. Angie Jimenez is a graduate of Entrepreneurship for All, a business accelerator program in Lawrence. She’s starting a cooking school in a renovated mill building in the city. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) Luis Feliciano cuts the hair of a young boy at the newly opened Brothers Barber Shop on Main Street in Fitchburg. (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR) It seems that the closer you are to the boom that’s happening in Boston, the better off you are, and the same goes for cities in southwestern Connecticut, in the orbit of New York City. But economic booms bring high housing costs, sometimes far exceeding what lower-wage workers can afford. That’s especially problematic in many of New England’s coastal communities. And as rent prices rise, assistance for those who can’t afford those rents is not keeping pace. We speak with Andrew Flowers, an economics writer at FiveThirtyEight, whose recent article on the subject profiled a family in South Portland, Maine. (Credit: FiveThirtyEight) Happy Fall! Can You Smell the Election? In New Hampshire, a high-profile Senate race is racking up record spending. In Massachusetts, ballot questions like whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use, and whether to lift the state cap on charter schools, loom large. And in Maine, perhaps the biggest question is whether Governor LePage’s latest outbursts will tilt the state legislature’s power balance toward the Democrats. Our panelists are Casey McDermott, digital reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio; Felice Belman, politics editor at the Boston Globe; and Bill Nemitz, columnist for the Portland Press Herald and the Maine Sunday Telegram. (If you missed last week’s conversation on Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, you can listen here). Bye Bye, HoJo’s! Howard Johnson’s began as a seaside stand on Wollaston Beach in Quincy, Massachusetts, where clams, along with rich ice cream, and hot dogs — called “frankforts” — helped make the place famous. Hojoland.com features photos of “HoJo Ghosts” – buildings that were once Howard Johnson’s and have been converted. This one on Route 34 in Derby, CT is now a Tail Gators bar. (Credit: Hojoland.com) The story goes that Bostonians came to love the place when Eugene O’Neill’s “Strange Interlude” was banned in Boston, and theatergoers went south to Quincy to see a performance… with a dinner intermission at the Howard Johnson’s across the street. At its height, there were more than 1,000 HoJos locations — with their iconic orange roofs — on highway rest stops, and dotting the neighborhoods of New England, New York, and points beyond. Today, Howard Johnson’s exists as a hotel chain, but there is just one HoJo’s restaurant left, in Lake George, New York. The last location in New England — in Bangor, Maine — closed earlier this month. To pay our respects, we invited Howard Mann, the man behind the website hojoland.com, to discuss the restaurant chain’s rich New England legacy. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Galen Koch, Annie Sinsabaugh Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads, “Don’t Vote” by Cass McCombs, “Holland Tunnel” by John Phillips Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your favorite restaurant to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1950s, the automobile was king. A new federal highway system and dreams of “urban renewal” took hold. But many of those highways are now broken and in need of repair. This hour, we look into what’s behind the rebuild of one important New England interstate, and we remember the communities we lost during the urban renewal era, including one city’s Little Italy. Later this hour, we discuss the important issues heading into this election for three New England states. And at New England’s biggest flea market, NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin finds that the people are as fascinating as the stuff on display. Getting There We’ve been closely watching proposals to build new high speed rail through the region. New routes could drastically reduce travel times between Boston and New York and points south. The Federal Railroad Administration has been considering three plans with a variety of old and new pathways for the trains. A decision on a preferred route is expected sometime this fall. A map of a portion of the National Railroad Administration’s plan for the Northeast Corridor shows a proposed line (in purple) that would run through the city center of Old Lyme, Connecticut. (Credit: Federal Railroad Administration) Emails obtained by a group opposing a route through the coastal town of Old Lyme, Connecticut seem to show that the FRA has had a preferred route for a while… and yes, it’s the one that goes through that town. We speak with New London Day reporter Kimberly Drelich, who has has been covering the story. In New England, Interstate 84 is well known and, well, hated. One of the reasons for that hatred is a short stretch that cuts right through the heart of Hartford, Connecticut. When I-84 was built, it caused two big problems. First, it meant that all the interstate traffic was bottle-necked onto a twisting, turning, elevated roadway, with a series of complicated on and off ramps infusing new traffic into the mix, commuters, delivery trucks — locals just trying to get across town. The I-84 Viaduct cuts right through downtown Hartford. Credit Ryan Caron King/WNPR The second problem is a common one. When highways were built right through cities in the middle of the 20th Century, they destroyed neighborhoods, and physically separated communities. For an example of what this looks like, read Ryan Caron King’s story about a historic home that was spared the wrecking ball, but not the highway noise. But how to fix the problem? We speak with Norm Garrick, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Connecticut, and author of a recent Citylab article about Rochester, New York’s attempt to fix a 1950s planning disaster. We also learn the story of Portland, Maine’s Little Italy. It was one of many neighborhoods across America that was demolished as a result of urban renewal. The federal program introduced after World War II aimed to clear cities of so-called slums and blighted areas, making way for improved infrastructure and commercial development. Producer Georgia Moodie has our story. CT/RI/VT Elections Roundtable Remember those days when we used to talk about issues during a political campaign? Yeah, us neither. That’s why we wanted to sit down with smart political observers from around New England to talk about the big issues facing their states this year. From WNPR in Connecticut, Colin McEnroe from The Colin McEnroe Show and The Wheelhouse joins us. From Rhode Island Public Radio’s Political Roundtable, Maureen Moakley chimes in, and so does Vermont Public Radio capital bureau reporter Peter Hirschfeld. Brimfield A lobster made from horseshoes at the Brimfield Antiques Flea Market (Credit: Ziwei Zhang) In the 1954 film Brigadoon, the protagonists discover a magical village that only appears for one day every hundred years. Brimfield, Massachusetts is kind of like that. The town only has about 3,500 permanent residents. But for a week in each of May, July, and September, the town transforms into a bustling tent city known as the Brimfield Antique Flea Market. The market dates back to the 1950s and today boasts over 250,000 visitors, stretching half a mile down Route 20. At a market like this, the stuff comes with stories, and NEXT producer Andrea Muraskin found plenty on her visit over the weekend. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Shannon Dooling, and Jennifer Mitchell Music: Todd Merrell, Lightning on a Blue Sky by Twin Musicom, New England by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your own flea market finds to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lovely early fall weather means we’re spending our whole hour-long episode outside. All these sunny days, though, mean a shortage of water for crops, gardens, livestock, and lawns. Climate scientists warn that droughts interspersed with periods of heavy storms are becoming the new normal in New England. We look into how farmers and the rest of us are adapting. We also consider what “national monument status” means. President Barack Obama just granted the status to nearly 90,000 acres of the north woods of Maine, and is considering doing the same for miles of ocean canyons and mountains off the coast of Cape Cod. And: it’s back to school time, but that means something different for the children of seasonal workers, bringing in the late summer crops. Our Dry New England Summer Livestock farmer Bill Fosher with sheepdog Zues. (Courtesy Bill Fosher) It was an unusually dry summer for much of New England. Massachusetts was (and still is) the hardest-hit. This week, Governor Charlie Baker announced an emergency loan fund to help family farms and other small businesses affected by the drought. New England Public Radio reporter Jill Kaufman has been reporting on the tentative move among New England farmers to adopt drought-friendly techniques. She joins us in the studio, and we call New Hampshire livestock farmer Bill Fosher to talk soil and water. It’s not just farmers who have been affected by the long dry spell. If you live in Massachusetts, your town may have told you to limit watering the lawns and garden. But as WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling found out, the rules may be different on the other side of the town line. (Courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection) Director of the Billerica Public Works Abdul Alkhatib points out the level of the Concord River is three feet lower than it was this time last year in 2015 due to the current drought conditions this summer. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) Monuments to Nature If you’ve ever visited the North Maine Woods, you know that it’s one of the most wild places you’ll ever see. Nearly 90,000 acres adjacent to Baxter State Park have been designated by President Obama as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. It’s not quite a national park, but it is protected recreational land. It was donated by Roxanne Quimby, the founder of personal care company Burt’s Bees. The donation was her family’s plan for some time. The moon rises over Mt. Katahdin. (Bill Duffy) Bull moose in the area designated Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (Mark Picard) View from Lunksoos Mountain (Bill Duffy) Wassataquoik River at Orion Falls (Credit: EPI) The area also has logging and paper industry history. Many politicians have fought against the protected designation, hoping that some day paper mills would return. We speak with two Maine reporters covering the dispute: Maine Public Broadcasting’s Susan Sharon, and Nick Sambides, Jr. of the Bangor Daily News. There’s an even more remote part of New England being considered as a national monument. The New England Coral Canyons and Seamounts area, about 150 miles from Cape Cod, is (according to a Congressional letter written to the President): “a world of canyons that rivals the Grand Canyon in size and scale and underwater mountains that are higher than any east of the Rockies. These mountains – known as seamounts – rise as high as 7,700 feet from the ocean floor and are the only seamounts in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean.” A Paramuricea coral in Nygren Canyon, which is 165 nautical miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Hydromedusa in Washington Canyon. Mussels in Nygren Canyon. Lawmakers, led by Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, want the president to use the 1906 Antiquities Act to preserve the area. This is much like President George W. Bush did when he designated a similar monument in 2006 off the coast of Hawaii. President Obama just expanded that monument. But like loggers in Maine, many in the commercial fishing industry are fighting the designation, questioning the use of the act by the president. We speak with Brad Sewell, Director of Fisheries and Atlantic Ocean Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, which is backing the proposal. We also hear from Bob Vanasse, executive director of the fisheries industry group Saving Seafood. Maine’s Blueberry Harvest School September means one thing for most kids in New England: an end to summer holidays and the start of classes. But for some, the school year isn’t that straightforward, because their parents chase the seasons from Texas to Maine, harvesting vegetables, picking apples, and raking blueberries. The federally funded Migrant Education Program seeks to fill some of the gaps left by a life on the road. MPBN reporter Jennifer Mitchell spent a day with the Blueberry Harvest School in Downeast Maine. The Blueberry Harvest School was established to teach kids whose parents are busy bringing in Maine’s $75 million wild blueberry harvest. (Jennifer Mitchel/MPBN) To learn more about parents of these kids — the blueberry harvest workers — we spoke with Jorge Acero, State Monitor Advocate for migrant farm workers in Maine. A teacher asks for volunteers during a class. (Jennifer Mitchel/MPBN) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jill Kaufman, Shannon Dooling, and Jennifer Mitchell Music: Todd Merrell, Lightning on a Blue Sky by Twin Musicom, New England by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we look at racial disparities in the criminal justice system in one of the country’s whitest states. Plus, innovations in renewable energy technology are advancing in New England, but can ye olde grid adapt? And do you know what it takes to maintain a mountain trail? A whole lot of muscle, and some mohawks thrown in for good measure. From Arrests to Incarceration, Racial Disparities in New Hampshire Increase Hillsborough County House of Corrections, known as the Valley Street jail, is located in downtown Manchester. (Emily Corwin/NHPR) On our first episode, we looked at data that shows Black and Hispanic motorists are pulled over at a much higher rate than white drivers in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. This hour, reporter Emily Corwin of New Hampshire Public Radio shares the findings of her investigation into arrest and incarceration rates in that state’s most populous and diverse county. In Hillsborough County, Hispanics and Blacks make up only eight percent of the population. But those two groups make up 16 percent of arrestees, and 27 percent of those held in jail before trial. We also hear from local police and leaders in the Black community on common ground — and where they diverge. Read Emily’s analysis here.   (Sarah Plourde) Flipping the Switch on Renewable Energy in New England New England’s relationship with renewable energy is complicated. Our region has set very high goals for itself to reduce carbon emissions and curb climate change. We have high electric bills, and a power grid that needs constant attention and upgrades. (ISO New England) You’ve probably seen wind or solar projects go up somewhere near you in recent years, or you’ve heard about battles over where to put projects like these. But all of this development of renewable resources hasn’t really changed the energy mix all that much yet. New England now gets about half of its energy from natural gas, but less than 10 percent from its renewables, like solar and wind. Vermont Electric Cooperative’s Dan McMullen keeps a close eye on screens that show the electrons flowing in and out of the co-op’s northern Vermont territory. (John Dillon/VPR) As we heard last week, offshore wind power is only starting to be used, and it’s hard to find room for wind projects in southern New England States. At the same time, political pressures are moving the debate over energy. A new energy bill in Massachusetts seems to have primed that state for more development of wind and solar, just as the state supreme court dealt a blow to new natural gas pipeline plans. All of these stories coming together at once form the the basis of the NENC’s latest series, The Big Switch: New England’s Energy Moment. We asked Prabhakar Singh, Director of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering at the University of Connecticut, to walk us through some of the challenges and new technologies. The Trail “Fixing” Crew in New Hampshire’s White Mountains The TFC in the Mahoosucs. (Bob Watts) Remember this guy? Notice anything different? A footpath in the forest may feel like as far away from the world of human work as you can get, but clearing and maintaining that trail takes some serious muscle. In the White Mountains, the men and women who do that work have quite the reputation. From New Hampshire Public Radio’s podcast Outside/In, host Sam Evans Brown has this tale of the most legendary trail crew this side of the Mississippi, the TFC. Be sure to visit the Outside/In website for photos galore from the crew’s 97-year history. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Emily Corwin, Sam Evans-Brown, John Dillon, Kathleen Masterson, Fred Bever, Logan Shannon, and Cordelia Zars Music: Todd Merrell, Lightning on a Blue Sky by Twin Musicom, New England by Goodnight Blue Moon Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report in Massachusetts found cases of serious abuse and neglect at a private special education school, illuminating a larger problem. Also this hour, we head to Block Island, Rhode Island, where the nation’s first offshore wind farm is about to get spinning. Plus, we learn about a time when Martha’s Vineyard went rogue.  What’s Wrong With Special Ed? A recent report from the Boston-based Disability Law Center found widespread abuse and neglect at a private special education school in Middleborough, a town in the southeast corner of Massachusetts. The report detailed verbal and emotional abuse by staff, inadequate supervision resulting in runaway students, medication errors, and more.  Jaclyn Dinan’s son has a complicated diagnosis of autism and a condition similar to bipolar disorder. In 2014, when he was 13, Dinan sent him to Chamberlain International School. Dinan, seen here with her boyfriend and her son, says her son was mistreated at the school. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) There are worries that the problems seen at Chamberlain International School might be more widespread. WBUR and the investigative journalism unit “The Eye” have been investigating private special education schools that serve some of the most vulnerable students in Massachusetts. For parents, figuring out which of these schools is the right fit for their child can be a complicated maze, even as the demand for special education grows. WBUR reporter Shannon Dooling joins us this hour. Links for more information: “Report Finds Neglect And Abuse At Mass. Special Education School” – Shannon Dooling, WBUR “‘There Is No Yelp’ : Why Parents Struggle With The State’s Special Ed System” – Shannon Dooling, WBUR “Runaways, findings of neglect and abuse cast shadow at Chamberlain School” –  Jenifer McKim and Koby Levin, The Eye The Sea Breeze Is More Than Refreshing Construction is close to complete on the country’s first offshore wind farm, located about fifteen miles off the coast of Rhode Island. The five turbines are set to start turning later this year. They’re expected to provide most of the power for Block Island, a tourist destination and home to about 1,000 people. The Block Island Wind Farm is tiny by global standards, but it’s the culmination of many years of negotiations between wind power companies, governments, and advocacy groups. Greg Cunningham, an attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, says the project represents just a taste of what’s possible for wind power generation in New England coastal waters. Three of five turbines that make up the Block Island Wind Farm, in waters three miles off the coast of Block Island. (Ambar Espinoza/RIPR) Blades were attached to a fourth turbine last week. (Ambar Espinoza/RIPR) The nacelles — the turbine electrical hubs — arrived in Newport earlier this summer on the Brave Tern vessel. They Could Take No More In the winter of 1977, residents of Martha’s Vineyard were outraged over a bill in the Massachusetts state legislature that was going to strip them of their state representative. The island would be lumped into a larger Cape Cod district. Vineyard selectmen proposed a solution. A radical one. Secession (complete with an original song)! Producer Sally Helm has the story. Former Martha’s Vineyard secessionist John Alley (Sally Helm/Transom Story Workshop) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Ambar Espinoza, Sally Helm Music: Todd Merrell, “The Sea Beneath Our Feet” by Puddle of Infinity Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heavily-trafficked Route 1 can be a headache for Connecticut drivers commuting to New York City, or turning into one of its many shopping plazas. But for pedestrians, it’s downright dangerous. WSHU reporter Cassandra Basler spoke with some who travel the highway by foot, sidewalk or no. We explore what it takes to transform a road system built for the car. This hour, we also finish our story about the Housatonic River: the battle between the company that polluted the river, and the people who live there, over how to clean it up. And finally, we hear about the New England accent that time forgot. Where the Sidewalk Ends According to preliminary data from the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center at the University of Connecticut, there were 74 accidents involving pedestrians on Route 1, also called the Boston Post Road, from January 2015 until now. A heat map showing pedestrian-involved crashes on Route 1 in Connecticut 2015-present, created by the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research center at UCONN. Data is preliminary. That means more than one pedestrian was hit for every two miles of road, although most of the accidents happened in the western half of the state. Earlier this summer, activist Ray Rauth walked all 117 Connecticut miles to call attention to safety issues, like sidewalks that appear and disappear, and lack of pedestrian signals. In this episode, reporter Cassandra Basler introduces us to Rauth, and to Jaelin McKenzie, a young man who walks a busy part of the road nearly every day out of necessity. We speak with Tom Maziarz at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, who said the state and towns are working together in new ways to create “complete streets.” And we consider what happened in Boston when the city set a goal of zero fatalities on the road. Find Cassandra’s original report here. Jaelin McKenzie takes a bus from his home in Bridgeport to a mall in Milford, then walks about a mile on Route 1 to reach the Jos A. Bank clothing store where he works. Here, he’s standing on a particularly confusing patch of sidewalk on Route 1. (Cassandra Basler/WSHU) The Rest of the River The Unkamet Brook, an area contaminated by General Electric’s former Pittsfield plant is currently being restored. (Joe Difazio/WBUR) In last week’s episode, we heard about General Electric’s legacy in the Berkshires. For about 80 years, the company operated a huge transformer plant in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was the biggest employer in the region, and when the jobs left in the 1990s — it left a big hole — and the Housatonic River contaminated with PCBs. GE remediated the two-mile stretch of the river that flows through downtown Pittsfield. But the company estimates that there could be up to 70,000 pounds of PCBs left in the Housatonic River today, and the EPA puts the number at 600,000 pounds. As WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti from Radio Boston reports, there are a variety of deeply held opinions and disputes about how to clean up the mess downstream. And reporter Ryan Caron King takes us on a boat ride with a canoe builder who is working to bring people back to the Housatonic in Connecticut. The Green Mountain Accent  Brave Little State is the newest podcast from Vermont Public Radio Here at NEXT we’re big fans of the new podcast from Vermont Public Radio, Brave Little State. Producers Alex Keefe and Angela Evancie investigate questions that the people of that state want the answers to. One listener, a transplant from New Hampshire, was curious about why the Vermont accent sounds so different from the New England accents she was used to. We invited Alex Keefe on our show to learn more. Can’t get enough? Head over to vpr.net for the full story, and audio clips galore. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Cassandra Bassler, Meghna Chakrabarti, Ryan Caron King, Alex Keefe Music: Todd Merrell Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we talk with NHPR reporters Jack Rodolico and Natasha Haverty about what life is like for people like Gene Parker — who had trouble finding shelter after getting out of prison — and others living on the “edge” of homelessness in New Hampshire. We also hear WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti as she explores the history of a Western Massachusetts company town still recovering after decades of PCB pollution in its river, just as that company makes plans to move to Boston. And with a growing bald eagle population and fewer available fish, Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever tells us how America’s mascot is threatening sea bird populations in Maine. Meanwhile, VPR reporter Kathleen Masterson learns how to train a hawk to hunt for her supper. Homelessness in New Hampshire Gene Parker (left) with his friend “Red” Glodgett. (Liza Urena/Submitted photo) Gene Parker had been living on the streets of Concord, New Hampshire for five years. In January, he was hit by a car and later died. For New Hampshire Public Radio reporters Jack Rodolico and Natasha Haverty, Gene’s story led to a lot of questions about homelessness in that state, and they tried to find answers. They discovered friends who looked out for Parker, a social worker who struggled to find him housing, and the reasons that was nearly impossible.   Liza Urena points to one of the places her friend Gene Parker slept. She brought him meals and gave him rides almost every day, and helped him find safe spots to sleep. (Jack Rodolico/NHPR) Digging into homelessness in their state, Rodolico and Haverty also took a trip to a small town motel, where they met people with incomes, but still without permanent homes. We hear stories from their excellent series, “No Place To Go, Homelessness In New Hampshire,”  and discuss possible solutions. “We look out for each other,” Ovi Charast (right) says. That night before he and three friends had slept on the floor of one room at the PK Motel. (Jack Rodolico/NHPR) Something Wasn’t Quite Right With the Water This past January, a corporate announcement rocked two New England States: General Electric announced it was pulling up stakes at its corporate headquarters in Fairfield, Connecticut, and moving to Boston.  In Boston, civic leaders cheered. In Connecticut, they pointed fingers. At WBUR’s daily show, Radio Boston, they wondered about GE’s history in Massachusetts. General Electric had a large plant in Pittsfield that polluted the Housatonic River, seen here, with PCBs. (Joe Difazio/ WBUR) Pittsfield, in far Western Massachusetts, was the ultimate company town, with life revolving around GE’s transformer plant. GE employed around 13,000 people during the plant’s heyday. But by the early 1990s, most of the jobs had left, and the town had to confront another problem – the decades of contamination to the Housatonic River, which winds through the Berkshires, into Connecticut, and finally into Long Island Sound. The contamination came from PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls. The government declared them a probable human carcinogen in 1979, and the chemicals were banned. But in Pittsfield and downstream, the damange had already been done. In our next episode, we’ll look at where the cleanup efforts stand. But listen to this episode to hear Radio Boston’s Meghna Chakrabarti tell us a lesser-known story: about the people who worked at the GE plant in Pittsfield, and their complicated feelings about General Electric. You can find the original story and more photos on WBUR’s website here. When Eagles Come Home to Roost Watch this rare video of a Bald Eagle raiding our @exploreorg Osprey nest: https://t.co/cadkFVLEnB pic.twitter.com/7uROA6R9kV — Audubon Society (@audubonsociety) August 2, 2016 The bald eagle has made a remarkable resurgence in New England. The birds were driven nearly to extinction due to the pesticide DDT. In the 1970s, DDT was banned. Today, bald eagles are thriving on the Maine coast. But the osprey, cormorants and puffins they prey on? Not so much. Maine Public Broadcasting’s Fred Bever reports. You can find photos and a text version of Fred’s story here. “Your Hawk Was Really an Early Gun”  Master falconer Rob Waite (Kathleen Masterson/VPR) Imagine if that marauding eagle could be coaxed to land on your arm, and employed as a weapon to kill prey you can’t even see. That sport — or art — is called falconry: using eagles, hawks, or falcons to hunt for game. It’s been around for thousands of years. It originated in China, and is practiced widely across New England. Vermont Public Radio reporter Kathleen Masterson went to learn more at the Green Mountain Falconry School in Manchester, Vermont. Director Rob Waite took her on a walk through the woods with two of Harris’s hawks, named Monty and Wallace. A Harris’s hawk outfitted with “jessies,” which allow falconers to locate the birds during a hunt. (Kathleen Masterson/VPR) About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Jack Rodolico, Natasha Haverty, Meghna Chakrabarti, Fred Bever, Kathleen Masterson, Chion Wolf, Irwin Gratz, and Sarah Ashworth. Music: Todd Merrell, and Wes Hutchinson’s “One Down Dog” Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the first episode of our new, weekly show about New England. We dig into data showing racial disparities in traffic stops with WNPR reporter Jeff Cohen, talk to historian Colin Woodard about what means to be a Yankee, and get rid of invasive plants and animals… by eating them, with chef Bun Lai of Miya’s in New Haven. Police Traffic Stops and Racial Disparity Getting stopped by police is a good way to ruin any driver’s day. But if you’re African American, data show these stops happen more often, result in more searches, and can break down trust between police and communities. Below is police dashcam video from West Hartford, Connecticut — where, like several other towns in Connecticut, you’re much more likely to be pulled over if you’re black or Hispanic than if you’re white. The officer in the video above asks the driver, Paul O. Robertson, what brings him to West Hartford. “Having that line of questioning, honestly, I was just floored,” Robertson said. “Because in my mind, I’m trying to be respectful at the same time, and not create a conflicting situation in that moment. … It is the language, the demeanor, in terms of how it’s communicated. And then, just the line of questioning made me feel like I didn’t belong.” Questioning Yankeedom Imagine a map of the United States that’s not divided into 50 states — a map where eleven distinct “nations” sprawl for hundreds, maybe thousands of miles, connected not by our current governmental boundaries, but by a common culture. Credit: Colin Woodard; Tufts Magazine Imagine a New England influence stretching across New York state, the top tier of Ohio, and into the Great Lakes. That’s an America envisioned by historian Colin Woodard in his book, American Nations. Cooking and Eating Invasive Species Summertime in New England means seafood — and lots of it: lobsters, clams, scallops, and for as long as it lasts, cod. Some fish, like cod, are considered “vulnerable” in New England waters. Others, like herring, are in short supply. You might not think about herring as a fish you would eat, but it’s used as bait for those tasty lobsters, and that has lobstermen worried. Depleted stocks, warming waters, pollution, nitrogen runoff — these are all concerns that have us changing the way we think about what we eat from our waters. Wild greens from Bun Lai’s yard. Photo by John Dankosky That’s why a group of chefs, scientists, and fishermen gathered in Rhode Island recently to cook with what’s called “trash” fish, or “bycatch” — the unwanted residue of a commercial fishing operation. Food like that is on the menu at Miya’s, a restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut. It’s known as the birthplace of sustainable sushi. What does that mean? Well, you can’t find the things you’re used to seeing on the menu of the sushi place down the street. Food like farmed shrimp or salmon, or bluefin tuna, or eel, are all replaced by “unwanted” fish like carp, and lots of plants. And some of them come from Bun Lai’s front yard. We spent about 20 minutes stooped over on a sweltering day filling a basket with wild mustards, mugwort, and dandelion weeds. Bun Lai called it “lunch.” About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Lydia Brown, Galen Koch, Jonathan McNicol, Kristin Gourlay Music: Todd Merrell, and Goodnight Blue Moon‘s “New England” Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and pictures of your corner of New England to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming soon, NEXT is a weekly radio show and podcast hosted by John Dankosky, based at WNPR in Hartford, Connecticut. Our laboratory is all of New England — America’s oldest place — at a time of change. NEXT is powered by the New England News Collaborative and produced by WNPR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.