Next New England

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 Tuesda

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 Just

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 t

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 langu

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 Lazarc

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 domesti

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 Pa

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, t

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 st

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 fore

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

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

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 resor

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 hospit

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 e

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 Spotligh

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

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

“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

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 hav