Next New England

College students are heading back to some New England campuses. This week on NEXT, how schools are dealing with the influx of students during a pandemic. Plus, a doctor who quit showering five years ago talks about the impact of "too much" hygiene on skin health. And a New Hampshire town considers how to honor a Black Revolutionary War hero who did not get his dues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most New England schools are still fine-tuning their reopening plans. This week on NEXT, we visit a school in northern Maine that has started the year early — and hear about the lessons learned so far. Plus, two sisters re-examine the racism they experienced growing up in a predominantly white Massachusetts town. And we hear from early survivors of COVID-19 about their long recovery process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the rise of protests against police brutality, we look at what has changed, from police reforms to employee walk-outs. Also on this week’s show, we talk to an activist who says today’s call-out culture is toxic — and advocates "calling in." Plus, refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo find community in an Orthodox Armenian church in Rhode Island. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we hear from teachers who are agonizing over going back to school and putting their families and themselves at risk — or quitting their jobs. Plus, a doctor who has experienced racism vows to stop being silent when she witnesses injustice. And we remember a Black transgender woman whose brutal murder in Boston helped spark a global movement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, in a special episode of NEXT, we listen to a collection of award-winning stories from the New England News Collaborative — from the divorced couple that was the face of marriage equality in Massachusetts, to a close look at a First Amendment dispute in New Hampshire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, New Englanders debate the removal of controversial statues. Plus, Connecticut is refusing to reveal the cost of some taxpayer-funded coronavirus tests. And we look at how the pandemic and climate change are complicating efforts in New Hampshire to stay cool during this hot summer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic forced many of us into new habits. Why can’t we do that with climate change? This week on NEXT, why seismic lifestyle shifts to help the environment could be possible right now. Plus, how the business community is addressing systemic racism. And the tension over thru-hikers who resisted calls to quit the Appalachian Trail during the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eviction cases are expected to soar this summer. This week on NEXT, the debate over extending an eviction moratorium. Plus, a recent night of vandalism in Providence, Rhode Island, was blamed on “outside agitators” — the story is much more complicated. And 16 ideas for investing in a green pandemic recovery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, how to stay safe during a pandemic as reopening continues in New England. Plus, Maine has the worst racial disparity for coronavirus infections in the country — we’ll talk about why. And a tattoo artist that covers up racist tattoos for free gets an uptick in requests. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, we talk about the different ways racism has become a public health crisis. Plus, the story of recent efforts to resurface the history of Vermont's 19th century Black communities after some residents tried to cover it up. And unexpected lessons from scientific inventions that have transformed our lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racial segregation is a modern-day problem. This week on NEXT, we hear from an expert on how zoning rules continue to perpetuate segregation in New England. And an investigation into the loosely-regulated industry that’s selling medical masks during the COVID-19 crisis. Plus, how can we cut carbon emissions during and after a pandemic? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As protests continue over racism and police violence, some professional athletes in New England are not staying on the sidelines. This week on NEXT, how protests could impact changes in pro sports. And when courts put eviction hearings on hold amid the pandemic, some landlords in Rhode Island resorted to shutting off utilities to try to push out tenants. Plus, connecting the history of "female husbands" to our modern understanding of gender and sexuality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, as protests continue over police brutality and the death of George Floyd, we hear from an educator on how to dismantle racism in public schools. And a Rhode Island community that is threatened by sea level rise is taking action to save their town. Plus, a project that gets hair clippers to transgender people brings needed comfort during the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as restrictions loosen in New England, uncertainties remain over how to avoid spreading COVID-19. This week on NEXT, medical experts answer listener questions about staying safe in this newest reality. And immigrant workers on Vermont’s dairy farms are considered essential, but they’re not getting coronavirus aid from the government. Plus, a birder coaxes Purple Martins back to Cape Cod. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT: A slow reopening is now underway in every New England state. But the uncertainty over COVID-19 is prompting some businesses on Cape Cod to scale back or not reopen at all. Plus, colleges in New England are facing lawsuits from students who allege they didn't get the education they paid for this spring. And we hear about a laughing club that is trying to bring levity to current circumstances. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As parts of New England reopen, states are working to protect themselves from visitors. This week on NEXT, New Hampshire is wary of beachgoers from Massachusetts. And despite hiccups distributing stimulus money to small businesses, some bankers are working overtime to secure funds. Plus, Maine summer camps wonder if they can open this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, New England states are still competing for COVID-19 testing supplies. But researchers at Yale University are studying new saliva tests that show promise. And with so many coronavirus deaths in senior living facilities, some families are considering taking their loved ones out. Plus, we hear from a country singer in Rhode Island about this catchy lyric: “Six feet apart or six feet under." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a hands-on subject like science, remote learning is particularly tricky. This week on NEXT, how science teachers and students are adapting and experimenting from home. And we go inside Vermont prisons to see the response to COVID-19. Plus, celebrating Ramadan in isolation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public health experts say it will take widespread testing to reopen the economy. This week on NEXT, we look at where testing capacity lags in New England. And we hear from a Dartmouth scientist on how the Trump administration's overhaul of mercury emissions rules could impact human and animal health. Plus, as the number of Yiddish speakers dwindle, one woman fights to save the language. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health care workers are facing moral dilemmas and complicated questions during the pandemic. This week on NEXT, we hear from hospital workers in New Hampshire who feel torn between serving their families and the public. And COVID-19 is not the great equalizer: we’ll talk about the inequities driving racial disparities in infection rates and deaths in Connecticut. Plus, how the sudden quiet outside is affecting birds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.