WBZ’s Nichole Davis shares the stories people are talking about in your community each weekend
Pawtucket's "Second Serve Resale" Creates Community Impact from Closet Clean-Outs
Beans to Bills: Insights on Rising Coffee Prices from a South Shore Coffee Roaster
Have you noticed your morning (or afternoon) coffee is getting more expensive? Perhaps the beans you really like at the store are hitting your wallet, too. Roasters here in New England and around the country are struggling with the rising cost of beans, which is hitting customers in the cup. Derek Anderson, the owner of Speedwell Coffee in Plymouth, joins Nichole this week to talk about their experience, the factors playing into this developing situation, and what you, the coffee lover, should expect.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Worcester Tech High School Banks on the Future with All One Credit Union
In Worcester, there's a branch of a local credit union that has a lot of young energy behind the scenes! All One Credit Union recently opened up a branch at Worcester Technical High School, and patrons who come to do their banking will find students behind the counter processing their transactions. Nichole talks with Lauren Hayes, the head of the Finance, Marketing, and Business Management department at WTHS, Dr. Patricia Suomala, the Director of Career and Technical Education at WTHS, Brittany Haley, All One Credit Union's Assistant VP of Financial Education, and a student in the program to learn all about it.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
MSPCA-Angell's Mission: Secure Forever Homes for Pets and Their Humans
When you think of housing policy, you may not immediately think of furry friends. However, MSPCA-Angell in Jamaica Plain says our pets need to be kept in mind when it comes to the ongoing housing crisis. They've brought on a new housing specialist, Jamie Blackburn, to advocate for pet owners and find a way to keep them, and their beloved pets, together without fear of eviction or foreclosure. Jamie joins Nichole this week to talk about their mission and efforts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Cambridge's "Digital Navigator" Program Helps Residents Bridge the Digital Divide
While life seemed simpler back in the day before most everything moved online, you have to be pretty connected nowadays in order to accomplish even the most basic of tasks. There's still a stark digital divide in low-income areas, rural areas, and with seniors and students. The city of Cambridge has a "Digital Navigator" program that's working with residents, one by one, to connect them with knowledge, experience, and the devices they need to get by. Samara Murrell, the Coordinator of Cambridge Community Television's efforts in the Digital Navigator program, joins Nichole to talk about it.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Costs of Cutting SNAP: Washington's Battle over Food Assistance Hits Massachusetts
Food banks, advocates, and local officials have been scrambling this week upon word that November's SNAP assistance won't be funded by the federal government. The Trump administration cites the ongoing shutdown for the move, and refuses to tap into federal contingency funding. However, state leaders say the hundreds of millions of dollars each month simply can't be covered on the state level, and holding back SNAP funding during a shutdown is unprecedented.
Erin McAleer of Project Bread and Andrew Morehouse of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts are part of the Make Hunger History Coalition. They return to the show this week to discuss the situation and offer resources for those in need, including the Project Bread FoodSource Hotline, which you can call at 1-800-645-8333.
CONTENT NOTE: This discussion was recorded earlier in the week from the publish date, and there have been some legal developments over the funding for November's SNAP benefits. However, the interview's information on the story and resources for food access remains timely.
Erin McAleer of Project Bread and Andrew Morehouse of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts are part of the Make Hunger History Coalition. They return to the show this week to discuss the situation and offer resources for those in need, including the Project Bread FoodSource Hotline, which you can call at 1-800-645-8333.
CONTENT NOTE: This discussion was recorded earlier in the week from the publish date, and there have been some legal developments over the funding for November's SNAP benefits. However, the interview's information on the story and resources for food access remains timely.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Devil in Salem Village: How Hysteria Took Root in Modern-Day Danvers
The stories of the deadly Salem Witch Trials are well known, with the hysteria sweeping through for months in the 1690's. If you visit Salem, you'll find museums and memorials dedicated to the incident, but what many don't know is that down the road, in what we now call Danvers, is where the real beginning of America's witch panic took place. Daniel Gagnon, a life-long Danvers resident, author, and historian, joins Nichole to explain the history of Salem Village, how the witch hunt played out there, and why the village decided to take on a new identity.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fraying Lifelines: "Jane Doe Inc." Fights For Critical Support for Domestic Violence Survivors
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this year's theme is "With Survivors, Always". In Boston, Jane Doe Inc., the state's coalition against sexual assault and domestic violence, is working each day to ensure survivors have access to the help they need to find safety, healing, and peace. However, state and federal cuts have sparked worry in these organizations over just how much they'll be able to help victims in the short and long-term. Hema Sarang-Suminski, Executive Director of Jane Doe Inc., joins Nichole on the show to talk about their mission, efforts, and resources for those struggling with intimate relationship abuse.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lighting the Spark: YW Boston's "F.Y.R.E." Program Empowers Young BIPOC Bostonians
The middle school years can be difficult for young people, with so many questions about the world around them and their place in it as they come of age. YW Boston recently launched a program called "F.Y.R.E.", or Fierce Youth Re-Igniting Excellence, which focuses on teaching BIPOC girls and gender-expansive youth resilience, confidence, and leadership skills, while offering them an understanding space to talk about whatever's on their mind. President and CEO Aba Taylor and F.Y.R.E. Director Jay Boss join Nichole this week to talk about the program's mission and impact among Boston's youth.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Quincy's "Prison Book Program" Connects Incarcerated Readers with Postmarked Possibilities
Reading is fundamental, so they say, and it can also be a major factor in cutting down prison recidivism rates. The Prison Book Program in Quincy has been providing free books to incarcerated people around the country since 1972, helping people behind bars grow, study, and prepare for a healthier and more productive life upon their release. Executive Director Kelly Brotzman joins Nichole this week to talk about their mission, their efforts to get books into prison "book deserts", and their upcoming fundraiser later this month.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.