The Common

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Field Guide: 4 Boston holiday markets to get your shop on Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

Procrastinators, beware! The holidays are around the corner but luckily, Boston has a wide selection of holiday markets to find unique and local-made gifts for everyone on your list.

WBUR Associate Producer for Newsletters Hanna Ali joins The Common to recommend four Boston-area holiday markets to visit this season.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Local Rabbis on celebrating Hanukkah this year Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

It's the first night of Hanukkah. It is also the two month anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and the beginning of Israel's ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

Ahead of the holiday, WBUR's Simon Rios took the time to check in with local Rabbis about how they are navigating this time with their congregations. He joins The Common to share what they told him.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Behind the pro-Palestinian protests in Boston Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Israel's military action in Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas has led to demonstrations across the country and the world, in support of a ceasefire and Palestinian liberation. That includes here in Boston, where protesters have demonstrated at the Boston Common Christmas tree lighting, the chambers of Boston City Council and outside of a fundraiser for President Joe Biden in Boston on Tuesday.

Lelia Farsakh is a professor of political science at UMass Boston. She joins The Common to explain the context and history behind Boston's movement in support of Palestinians.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

$250 million for the state's family shelter system Dec 05, 2023

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Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has signed a long-awaited supplemental budget bill containing $250 million in funding for the state's overburdened family shelter system. The bill had been stalled in the state's House and Senate over disagreements on allocating those funds, past the conclusion of the official legislative session, which ended on Nov. 15.

WBUR State House Reporter Walter Wuthmann joins The Common to discuss the contents of the budget bill and the challenges it faced getting through the Massachusetts legislature.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston is considering a guaranteed income program Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

Last week, city councilors and officials from Mayor Michelle Wu's administration held a public hearing to discuss the possibility of piloting a guaranteed basic income program for low-income Bostonians.

The proposal is still in the early most stages of consideration, but based on results of similar programs in neighboring communities, it could be a game changer for the nearly one in five Boston residents who living below the poverty line.

State House News Service reporter Sam Drysdale joins The Common to discuss how a guaranteed income program in Boston could work, and the likelihood of it becoming a reality for the city.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

What to do this month: naughty and nice holiday spectaculars Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

The holiday season is upon us, and whether you're looking to catch a pop diva or a risqué take on a classic seasonal favorite, assistant director for WBUR CitySpace Candice Springer has you covered with a slate of activities to get you out and about this December.

Candice recommends...

Mariah Carey in concert: The "Merry Christmas One and All" tour - Dec. 11, TD Garden A Christmas Carol: A benefit for Rosie's Place - Dec. 19, WBUR CitySpace

The Slutcracker - Dec. 1 - Dec. 31, Somerville Theatre Yippee Ki Yay - Dec. 27 - Dec. 31, The Huntington Theatre

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A different approach to supporting loved ones with addiction Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

Almost one-third of adults in the U.S. say they, or someone in their family, have been addicted to opioids. Often, families have been encouraged to use a "tough love" approach with their loved ones, but a growing number of health care professionals are starting to rethink this. Instead, they want to more intentionally include families and friends in the recovery process.

WBUR's Deborah Becker joins The Common to share the story of Ken Feldstein, an addiction councilor who said he "landed on love" in supporting his own son, Brendan, through his addiction recovery. Also, a look at training programs run through Boston Medical Center, which teach clinicians and families how to support people struggling with addiction.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

That application fee your landlord charged you might be illegal Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

Massachusetts is one of only two states where it's illegal for landlords to charge an application fee to perspective renters. Even so, advocates say that these fees are on the rise as rental options in the region remain tight.

WBUR Senior Reporter Simón Rios joins The Common to explain how landlord application fees differ from other legal fees you may face as a renter, and what these fees can tell us about the reality of being a landlord or renter in Massachusetts today.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

When love comes with a life sentence Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

What does the criminal justice system do to love? This question is at the core of "We Found Love," is a new miniseries from the Boston Globe's Love Letters Podcast. It follows three couples, each at a different stage in their relationship, but all of whom met while one member was incarcerated in Massachusetts with a life sentence.

Today, Boston Globe Criminal Justice Reporter Ivy Scott joins The Common with more on this project, and what these stories can tell us about our criminal justice system more broadly.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts' 2024 Teacher of the Year is making history Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

De'Shawn Washington, a fourth-grade teacher at Maria Hastings Elementary School in Lexington, has been named the 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.

De’Shawn’s dedication to teaching leadership and conflict resolution skills to his students helped set him apart from his peers, earning him the state's top award for educators.

Today on The Common, we take you to Lexington to learn more about what brought De'Shawn to teaching, how he hopes to advocate for teachers and students alike during his tenure as Teacher of the Year, and what it means to him to be the first Black male recipient of the award in Massachusetts.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

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