The Common

More electric vehicles are hitting the streets in Boston, making it one of the biggest EV markets in the country. However, adoption still lags behind similar metro areas across the country and experts worry that the growing number of EVs is still not enough to help the state reach its emission goals. WBUR Senior Business Reporter Zeninjor Enwemeka joins The Common to explain the barriers to more EV ownership in Massachusetts, and what the state is doing about it. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

In late March, the MBTA announced it would be paying an additional $148 million to the Chinese locomotive manufacturer CRRC, in hopes of pushing the company to complete its order for desperately needed T cars by 2027. The order, which was made in 2014, was for 404 new T cars to be delivered by September 2023. To date, the MBTA has only received around 130 of those cars and with this latest payout, the total deal between the agency and CRRC is now valued at over $1 billion. Just last week, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, canceled its $185 million dollar contract to buy passenger rail cars from the same manufacturer, CRRC. The railway cars were expected by last year. So far, SEPTA hasn’t received a single one. Today on The Common, we look at these two very different approaches to a similar problem with transportation reporters from Boston and Philadelphia: Tom Fitzgerald from The Philadelphia Inquirer and Taylor Dolven from The Boston Globe. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Alvin Campbell, an alleged serial rapist, was arrested in 2020 on sexual assault charges. A new investigation by WBUR finds that at the time of his arrest, Campbell had already been reported for multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault dating back to 2016. He is the brother of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. Her office said the attorney general recused herself from any involvement in the case. In a statement, Andrea Campbell said the prosecution has her “unreserved support.” For the past year and a half, WBUR reporter Walter Wuthmann has been investigating the case against Alvin Campbell, and why he was not arrested earlier as allegations and DNA evidence against him surfaced. Wuthmann joins The Common to discuss how the culture of our criminal justice system and Massachusetts' secrecy laws obscure cases of sexual assault from the public in ways that often ends up protecting perpetrators instead of victims. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis in 2016. According to the state, the industry here has grossed nearly $6 billion from hundreds of dispensaries across the state. As part of WBUR's Field Guide to Boston, a series aimed at helping folks better connect with the region, and in honor of the unofficial cannabis holiday on 4/20, we want to offer a quick guide for those who are curious about cannabis in Massachusetts. So The Common team took a trip to Heritage Club in Charlestown, Boston's first recreational dispensary owned by a Black woman, Nike John. She walks us through her experience working in the cannabis industry as well as the dos and don'ts of buying weed responsibly. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate. Arianna Perdomo is a 17-year-old high school senior living in Chelsea. She's a member of Gov. Maura Healey and Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer's Youth Climate Council and part of the Environmental Chelsea Organizers youth crew through GreenRoots. Today, Arianna joins The Common to discuss her work organizing other young people around climate concerns in Chelsea, and her interest in using her voice to advocate for climate justice on Beacon Hill. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Last week, the Boston City Council met to discuss one of the top, pressing issues facing our city: The rat population causing a nuisance to residents citywide. For the second year in a row, Councilor Ed Flynn has proposed a measure to create a city department solely devoted to pest-related concerns, arguing that a specialized department would streamline efforts to tackle rat issues and allow for more coordinated innovation. Today, Boston Globe City Hall Reporter Niki Griswold joins The Common for more on Councilor Flynn's proposal, and other potential solutions discussed at last week's meeting. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

With the 2024 Boston Marathon now in the rearview, you may be feeling inspired to hit the road after seeing thousands of athletes crushing 26.2 miles. Or perhaps you’re at the very beginning of your running journey and you’re still trying to find where you fit in the sport. That’s why we bring you this conversation taped at WBUR’s CitySpace featuring Martinus Evans, a runner and founder of the Slow AF Run Club, a community for slow runners and walkers. Host Darryl C. Murphy talked to Evans about his journey as a runner and his work to make the sport of running more welcoming. This conversation has been edited for time and clarity. You can check out the full discussion here and if you want to find out more about events at CitySpace, head to wbur.org/events. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Today, more than 30,000 runners will participate in the 128th Boston Marathon. Among those running are no less than five members of the WBUR staff, including Climate and Environment Correspondent, Barbara Moran. Being the reporter she is, Barb documented the ups and downs of her training journey as part of an essay for WBUR’s Cognesanti. Today, in honor of the marathon and all who run it,  we bring you Barb's story. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced a new drinking water standard to reduce exposure to PFAS, chemicals linked to health risks like cancer. Massachusetts is one of 11 states with existing PFAS limits, which are different from the new federal guideline. As a result, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection estimated that 95 water systems across the state will need to upgrade their water system to address PFAS for the first time under the new federal rules. Climate and Environment Correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common with more on the new federal rule and its impact on the local water systems. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

April is Earth Month, which is a time to reflect on the one planet we have and for a lot of us that brings up climate change, and how it’s affecting our communities.    James Comiskey is an activist with Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement that aims to use nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action on climate change. He’s also a co-leader of Boston’s Rainbow Rebellion, which is an offshoot of the group focused on the intersection of climate and LGBTQ issues. Comiskey joins The Common to discuss how climate change disproportionately affects the LGBTQ community, and the queer legacy of social activism.  Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

On Monday, almost 300 people, many of whom were families with kids, boarded a ferry and headed out to Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor to take in the solar eclipse over the Boston skyline. The event, "[Not Quite] Total Eclipse of the Park" was hosted by Boston Harbor Now, a non-profit that works to make the Boston Harbor and Islands more accessible and climate resilient, in partnership with Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. Common Producer Katelyn Harrop joined the crowd heading out to Spectacle Island to talk with some of our youngest neighbors seeing their very first eclipse. Today on The Common, a solar eclipse through the eyes of six and eight-year-olds. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Somerville is re-evaluating the use of ShotSpotter, a surveillance system that detects sounds indicative of gunfire. The devices have drawn scrutiny locally after leaked internal data revealed disproportionately high use in minority communities. Proponents of the technology say it saves lives and helps police catch criminals. Critics, including civil liberties advocates, raise concerns about the technology's accuracy and the risk of over-policing low-income or communities of color. Boston Globe Reporter Spencer Buell joins The Common with more on the controversy behind the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system and its future in Somerville and beyond. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Earlier this year, we learned that financial challenges at Steward Healthcare System, a for-profit company, were jeopardizing the company's ability to run its eight current Massachusetts hospitals. This drew scrutiny from state and federal officials, and raised concerns about the role of private equity in the healthcare industry. Over the last couple of weeks, lawmakers, including U.S. Senators for Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, held hearings on Beacon Hill looking into private equity in healthcare and Steward’s financial problems.  WBUR Senior Correspondent Deborah Becker has been following the Steward case since it broke, she joins The Common to catch us up to speed on the latest developments. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

It may be gray outside, but never fear -- WBUR Assistant Director of CitySpace Candice Springer is back on The Common with a list of fun-filled happenings to get you out of your house and on the town this April. Candice recommends... Mystery Picnics – Anytime The Massachusetts Craft Brewers Festival – April 20, Boston Center for the Arts' Cyclorama F1 Arcade Boston  – April 22, Seaport in Boston Slow AF Run Club: Martinus Evans on empowering anyone who wants to run – April 11, WBUR CitySpace Earth Week: Reptile and amphibians night with Zoo New England – April 23, WBUR CitySpace Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate. Kannan Thiruvengadam is the Executive Director of Eastie Farm — a community-based non-profit in East Boston, which focuses on food insecurity and climate justice through urban agriculture and education. Today, Kannan joins The Common to discuss how urban agriculture can be used as a tool for climate resiliency and community building, and what keeps him motivated and inspired to do this work, even in the most challenging times. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Have you ever answered a knock on your door to find someone asking to see your electric bill? Perhaps with the promise of getting you a better deal? If so, you might've come face-to-face with a representative from a competitive electric supplier -- an industry that has been tied to high rates, and at times, illegal activity, targeting some of the states' most vulnerable residents. While some savvy individuals are able to use these suppliers to get a better, or greener deal, State data show that this often isn't the case. In fact, the State Attorney General's office reports that between 2015 and 2021, ratepayers in Massachusetts who used a competitive electric supplier collectively paid $525 million more than if they had kept their utility as their supplier. Boston Globe Climate Reporter Sabrina Shankman has been looking into this industry in collaboration with WBUR's Miriam Wasser. Today, she joins The Common with more on how competitive suppliers are impacting residents, and what's being done at the state-level to curtail or reform the industry. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Last week, the MBTA board of directors voted in favor of offering a reduced-fare program for low-income adults across the transit system, including for The Ride -- the MBTA's paratransit service. It's a huge victory for advocates who have been pushing for such a program for more than a decade. Today, Boston Globe Transportation Reporter Taylor Dolven joins The Common for a transit news round-up. First, a look at what it will take to make a low-income fare program a reality. Then, Taylor tells us about the MBTA's decision to pay an additional $148 million to a company notably behind on their contracted promise to make new Red and Orange Line train cars for the system. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Chewed automobile wires? Gnawed car cables? That's what a Boston rat calls lunch! Drawn in by the promise of a warm and cozy place to hang, rats are hoping out of dumpsters and taking up residence under the hoods of cars, bringing their trash and snacks with them, and causing damage to vehicles while they're at it. Today, WBUR Investigative Reporter Willoughby Mariano joins The Common for a look at why Boston's rat problem is so significant, and what this could mean for the wellbeing of your ride. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

This semester, both Berklee College of Music and Harvard University are offering classes themed around one of pop music's biggest names: Taylor Swift.  The class at Berklee uses Swift's music to instruct students on songwriting, while the Swift-themed class at Harvard sits in the university's English department and looks at her music through a literary lens. Today on The Common, WBUR Senior Arts and Culture Reporter Amelia Mason takes us into the classroom for a lesson on what students (and the rest of us) can take away from some of Taylor Swift's biggest hits. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission launched a free program to replace lead pipes on privately owned property early last year, but few property owners have taken advantage of it. A recent Boston Globe investigation found that a water line that services one Boston College dormitory is among thousands of lead pipes that deliver water to city residents. Lead can contaminate drinking water and ingesting lead poses some serious health risks. Today, Boston Globe contributing reporter and Boston University professor David Abel and Boston University journalism student Taylor Brokesh join The Common to discuss why this free program has gone so underutilized. Greater Boston’s daily podcast where news and culture meet.