The Common

Latest Episodes:

A guide to Massachusetts' new laws Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

A number of new state laws are coming into effect in 2023, from an updated minimum wage to legal drivers licenses for undocumented people. WBUR Senior Statehouse Reporter Steve Brown joins host Darryl C. Murphy on The Common to talk us through these laws and how they will impact life in the Commonwealth.

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

Yep, COVID is still a thing Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

WBUR senior health reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey stops by The Common to give us a post-holiday COVID update and to help us understand where things are with the pandemic overall.

Then, we've got Chris Bentley, host of Here & Now Anytime. It's another great news podcast from WBUR and NPR, available for you to add to the rotation now.

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

What to do this month: Experiential bars are an all-inclusive good time Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Look, we know January can be a drag. Which is all the more reason why you need a good excuse to get out there and have some fun. Today on The Common, WBUR CitySpace Assistant Director Candice Springer tells us about three local game-themed bars that offer an all-around good time for the whole family.

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

Trash talk: Your guide to Massachusetts' new waste bans Jan 05, 2023

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Starting in November, Massachusetts instated some changes to its waste disposal rules. The changes included bans that further limit how much food can be wasted by commercial kitchens and also prohibits mattresses and textiles from going in the trash.

WBUR climate and environment correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common to tell us about how these new rules will impact our daily lives.

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

New year, new governor Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey will be sworn in as governor on Thursday. Alongside her will be Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who is taking on the role of lieutenant governor.

New leadership means new priorities for the state, so we got Boston Globe politics reporter, Samantha J. Gross to come through for a look at what we can expect for the future.

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

Legalized sports betting could begin in January Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

Massachusetts residents will be able to begin participating in sports betting very soon, with in-person betting starting as early as the Super Bowl.

The Common's Darryl C. Murphy sits down with WBUR Morning Edition associate producer Samantha Coetzee to look back at what the road for legalized sports betting has been like so far, and what consumers can expect from the Massachusetts sports betting experience.

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

From the newsroom: Skate collective LonelyBones is making space for community in the sport Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Team Common is taking some time off to rest and recover over the holidays. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories from WBUR’s newsroom in 2022.

Lots of people took up skateboarding during the pandemic, including many women and girls, and a new local skating club called Lonely Bones is catering to that clientele. They create an environment that is comfortable for people considered to be on the margins of traditional skate culture. WBUR’s Lauren Williams visited the club in Cambridge over the summer.

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

From the newsroom: Reflecting on 'Songs of the Humpback Whale' five decades since its release Dec 30, 2022

Show notes

When the album “Songs of the Humpback Whale” first hit record stores five decades ago, it energized the Save the Whales movement and helped push Congress to pass the Marine Mammal Protection Act. To mark the 50th anniversary of that landmark act, WBUR’s Barbara Moran spoke with the album's creator about its influence on the environmental movement.

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

From the newsroom: South Shore singer Lee Zangari is our local Tiny Desk favorite Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

Team Common is taking some time off to rest and recover over the holidays. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories from WBUR’s newsroom in 2022.

Every year, one lucky independent musician is launched into the national spotlight as the winner of NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. In Massachusetts, nearly 150 local artists entered songs into this year's competition.

Arts reporter Amelia Mason listened to them all. For WBUR's Sound On music series, Mason and four other panelists chose their favorite local submission: "A Man Is A Man" by Lee Zangari.

Find the original story here.

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

From the newsroom: Wheelchairs break often and take a long time to fix, leaving millions stranded Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

Team Common is taking some time off to rest and recover over the holidays. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories from WBUR’s newsroom in 2022.

About 5.5 million people use wheelchairs in the United States. But those wheelchairs aren’t always reliable. They often break down and the average repair takes up to a month. That’s a serious problem for people who use them, and it’s been linked to medical complications.

In May, WBUR health and science reporter Gabrielle Emanuel took a hard look at the reasons behind these frequent breakdowns. Today, we look back at what she found.

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

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