NightSide News Update

It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.

Thank you very much, Nicol, as we start another week of Nightside, I will be with you all week long, Monday through Friday night from eight until midnight on each of those evenings, and.

We will have a variety of guests this week. Later on tonight, we're going to talk with Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz about that really insane, crazy murder in the middle of Plymouth Friday night. Later on tonight will talk about the non endorsements of that are not being made by major newspapers and major unions. Later on this week, we'll talk with a couple of pollsters about the presidential race, Spencer Kimball of Emerson College, Dave Paleologus of Suffolk University.

I'm good, Thanks so much for having me, Dan, You're more than welcome.

Tell us, first of all, Heading Home, who does it serve, as I understand you to serve both individuals and families. Tell us about the history of the program, and then I want to talk about what the status is of the homeless problem here in Massachusetts.

Sure, so Heading Home is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. We serve both families and individuals, as you said, and we do a lot of work in shelter as well as deeply affordable housing. So, in terms of your haunted house question, if you told me how many units, I might be willing to talking about.

Uh, well that will we will have to wait until Wednesday night, that's for sure. So how big a budget do you have, I mean the scope of the problem, how much money? How much funding does it take to deal with the homeless situation in Massachusetts. I'm assuming you get a lot of private contributions, but there also should be some government funding as well.

There is, so we have state, federal, and private funding to your point. And so typically the budget for our shelter system has been close to four hundred million, and this year it's closer to one billion. As folks have probably hurt, and the difference is in the yes, I'm sorry, go ahead.

No, no, no, I'm sure. We can talk about the influx of migrants and what impact that has had. So normally four hundred million, variety of sources, So at any given time in the past, how large Let's deal with the migrant situation separately. Traditionally, how many people in Massachusetts or how many families, whatever metric you used, how many folks in any given year, you know, before the huge influx of migrants that now you're trying to help out

Sure, and so let me just clarify. The four hundred million is the state budget for this, not heading homes budget. So typically on any given year we any.

So you get less than four hundred million. If I'm say, yeah.

Yeah, we are not a budget million, No, that's a state budget. We are approximately forty million.

Okay, great, okay, can we serve.

Last week, for example eighty Sorry sorry about that, No.

Problem, No, that's I asked the questions. But I want to if I'm making an incorrect assumption. Thank you for that correction. So, before the migrants really arrived in for us, what were you dealing with in terms of traditionally the traditional homeless problem in Massachusetts?

Sure, so I want to give in typical night, you had about thirty eight hundred to four thousand families in shelter in the state, and so over the year you'd see you know, seventy five hundred approximately as folks kind of come through the system. Some years those numbers are a bit lower, and obviously right now those numbers are.

A bit higher.

Sure, And so the Right to Shelter law, which was signed by Governor de Caucus in nineteen eighty three, had been a good piece of legislation that provided assistance because there are people always who fall out of fortune, who are in a bad relationship, and they need shelter. And that's why I pay my taxes, and I'm sure most people are very happy to pay taxes to help people,

Yeah, So if we go back to the origin of the law, it's actually a child welfare law. So the law was created for children so that children did not sleep on the street. So to your point about our tax dollars, right, it is about making sure children aren't sleeping on the street.

And when you look at industry, you know better, Danielle, you know it better than I. But I was there the day that the who had decided the law. I was working as a TV reporter at the time, and my understanding was was intended for primarily for women and women with children and pregnant women as well.

Obviously, that's right, that's right.

Right, So, yes, that's that's the real focus. It was not intended for single adult.

Males, that is right, that is right. The groupings of adults are often served in different secretariats in other ways as well as the same housing secretariat.

If we look at.

The you asked me a question about the changes in terms of the influx of newly arriving families, right, so we know we had a system that was already taxed based on housing affordability here in the state of Massachusetts, right, So a system that was kind of struggling to keep up to begin with. So any additional needed, you know,

And the overflow site in Norfolk is the former base date correctional facility. How many that is correct? How many families? How many family units or individuals are being housed out there? Because I know the folks in Norfolk have had a tough time getting information from the state as to how long that facility was going to be used, how much money was used to cop to to basically accommodate people to rehabilitate the facility, and how long it's supposed to

We know who this one. By a family account, you do buy occupancy allowable occupy, so maximum capacity we're allowed to four hundred and five humans in those buildings there.

Okay, those four hundred and five, do you have any idea how many of them are children and now are being incorporated into the Norfolk public schools? I know that was an issue at one point.

Yeah.

Right now, right now, we have very few kids that are in the school system. I mean, based on the policy changes that the governor put in place, not all of the kids are necessarily hitting the kind of marker where they have to be enrolled. But they're approximately a dozen kids.

Okay. And is that facility open ended or there was a point in time No, no, no representation was made that it would be open for a certain period of time.

That is correct. That is still the case. It has a temporary certificate docupancy with a maximum of a year on it. That has not changed.

Okay, So it could close, It could, but depending upon the need, it could close earlier than a year. But it is not intended to stay open any longer than a year.

That is correct.

Okay. Look, thank you for answering the questions so directly and so so clearly. So many people who I will talk to in situations like this, I'm willing to discuss questions or answer questions, and you know, I think people need to know what their text dollars are going for. And you made a great presentation today. Whether or not people agree with migrants coming or going or whatever, that's an issue. But your answers have been really fully incomplete,

I don't think so. I mean, I think the one thing that people sometimes ask me they'll answer for you, is if the families that are in the Norfolk site, for example, are here legally. So let me just say they actually are here legally under federal immigration law, because I know that's a question folks do sometimes have for an early arriving families.

Yeah.

I will probably disagree with you on that that some of them have been flown in. Uh, these are decisions and exceptions that have been made by the Biden administration. Are none of them people who have come across the border illegally?

No, all or in our side have refuge your asylum status by the central government.

Okay, Well, if you come across the border and you claim that that that you have been persecuted or are under threat of persecution, you then claiming that status are given that status without any real proof, and then, as I understand it, you are given a court date to come and adjudicate that claim in that court anywhere from six,

I don't know you agree disagrees, just the understanding we have legally, so I share it. When people ask the question, which is a very common one.

Yeah, yeah, Well, some night, I'd love to have you come back and take calls, and if you'd like to take some call, not now tonight, but would you come back some night and we'll take some from it.

Will be my pleasure to come back, absolutely, and I'll answer it directly then too. Thank you, very wonderful appreciate pleasure.

Thank you. I enjoyed that.

Thanks so much.

Take care.

All right, welcome back and to talk with doctor Scheris Johnson. She's an author and a psychotherapist. She's talking about expired mindsets. It's a book that she's written entitled Releasing Patterns That No Longer Serve You. Well, this is an interesting conversation and it's coming right up. I want to again thank Danielle Ferrier of the Boston Shelter the system here which is called again End Homelessness in Greater Boston about the

Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.

Okay, we have our guests mixed up. Mixed up just a little bit here, so not Dan's fault. We're going to talk with Marcy Crown. She's a filmmaker also is an actor in what's called Crown Family Films, and she's very much in support of the concept of the power of sports for amputees. She has a special movie premiere event coming up on November twelfth, twelfth at the Cinema in Salem. Yeah, I watched a piece that you did. I think it was at a San Diego television station.

Yes, thank you Dan for having me on air. It's a documentary future. It's about three people with legman loss and we're looking to participate and or compete in sports, and with the right tools, their success is unlimited. And I use tools loosely because that could mean anything from prosthetics to even zip ons. By be Free, they have the zips right along the side of the pants that

So how did you get involved in this? I mean it says you're a filmmaker. I don't know if you've done other films or not, but is this kind of your life's cause or is this something that is part of a greater subject of film issues.

Well, you know, I started an event planning in the sports field actually, and that's where my love of sports come in comes in. And back in Atlanta for the nineteen ninety six Paralympic Games, I was involved in that and my perceptions changed so much about the abilities of the amputees and other people with disabilities that I thought, you know what, I'm going to make my first feature. This is my first feature on sports which I love and amputees.

So now this film is going to be premiered, it says Cinema Salem. Is that Salem, Massachusetts?

Yes, Cinema say, how does the how does the film make up from San Diego end up with a special movie premiere event in Salem, Massachusetts?

I know, Well, be Free that's one of my movie sponsors. They live in Boston, and I wanted.

To have what is be what is b free? Clus Free?

Yes, they provide zip ons, which are hands with zippers on the side.

Oh yes, yes, yes, And actually interviewed them about a year or so ago. I think, Okay, now I know what that is.

They Yes, they do some of these.

These adaptive clothing for for people exactly who have prostatics. Yep, absolutely, and so so the movie. How how long is the mill is the movie?

The movie is an hour and a half.

And we were regular it's a regular feature link film. I mean, you know they're talking about a brief brief Okay, uh, Well, some of them, our olympians or para athletes be attending the premiere.

We are going to have Nico Calabria. He is actually a captain and a player of the US amp soccer team right in Boston, so he is very well knowledgeable on sports and amputees, and so he will be there, and I'm working on some other people that will be there. I'll be there to answer any questions. And I'm so excited about showing this film to the Boston community and getting them interested and aware of all the resources that are in place for them.

You know, there are a lot of people who lost limbs. When I say a lot, you know several people who lost limbs during the marathon bombing.

Yes, yes, I am aware of that. In fact, some of them I believe went to participate in the Paralympics in Paris as well.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Some of them have have turned their love of sport and have overcome. Uh, the the I shouldn't say limitations because they have no limitations, but the the the horrific injuries that they suffered. Uh, and some of them have gone back and have run, you know, races, you know, I mean, the spirit is just absolutely incredible. If folks want to get more information about this film, uh, and it's premiere event on November

Yeah.

And also, by the way, have a whole bunch of fires. We've had a really dry month of September and October here in New England and all of a sudden, I know, call California is very familiar with spontaneous fire, sure fires that grew through carelessness of the disposal of you know, embers or cigarettes, cigarette butts. So it's going to be it's it's going to be. It's going to be a well known city for now. But how can people get more information on this particular film.

Yeah, thank you for asking. If they go to my website www. Dot Crown with a k k R own Familyfilms dot com. If they look under the screening, there's going to be a link to event right and that will take them right to the tickets. And it's twenty dollars a ticket that includes the networking. We're also going to have some fantastic food and some desserts, beverages, and then after the film we're going to have a question

And I'm guessing November twelfth is a Tuesday night. The reason I know that and I'm not guessing is that November fifth is election night and so therefore they is Tuesday November, so well, the twelfth Tuesday, that's for sure. Marcy Crown, thank you so much for your time tonight, and thank you for being an advocate for sports for amputees. Because thank you so.

Much, Dan, thank you for having me on and I'm excited to be able to show this there in Boston area.

And the website Crown with a KKR own Familyfilms, All one word dot com. Get yourself some tickets and enjoy a really special event. Thanks. Thanks so much. Marcy. Very nice to meet you.

Oh, nice to meet you. Have a great night you too.

All right, welcome back. Producer. Dan is going to Dan Cantano's gonna figure out where we're going next. We have we're missing one of our guests, but we have another one lined up. We're going to talk, I know, to the State Fire Marshal. I believe we'll be back on Nightside right after the news break.

You're on night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z, Boston's news radio.

All right, we are delighted to be joined by the State Fire Marshall, State Fire Marshal John Devine. Have I pronounced that correctly? Fire Marshall.

Hey, I'm doing NaN's John Davin.

Davin Davin. That's what I thought it was. That's what I thought it was, but they wrote it out for me fanatically, so of course it's John Davin. Great to have you back. Fire Marshall. How are you. We've had one of those nights, Fire Marshall here, we've had sort of like three alarm fire in the in the show.

No. I mean, we've had actually pretty significant fire activity in the last probably starting on the weekend. You know, as you know, it's very dry out there and we don't have any precipitation in the forecast for the foreseeable future. So we've had just in the last couple of days, we've had actually today we had forty seven fires going today and then eighteen of those have been in the last twenty four hours.

So but.

What I was asking John, is no suggestion that people setting these right.

No, No, what we've what we've been hearing so far as folks using lawnmowers. Uh, you know, the end you get hot. We've had leaves catch on you know, the brush up against the moor catch on fire, and with that wind we've had, they just take off. So we've

Fireplaces too, Okay, so it's not spontaneous combustion in terms of like sunlight, you know, penetrating through some leaves and starting a fire.

Some people are doing dumb things and uh, and that is that's amazing that with all the warnings they have heard that they would Oh boy, any idea of the acreage at this point that has been burned in totally?

You said, yeah, we've had probably close to two hundred acres burning. Yeah, that includes the fire and Canton. We've had Canton holding. We had one out in Berry today that was caused by an unintended campfire. We've got a big one going in Middleton which is now Middleton North Reading, and obviously the big one in Salem over the weekend. So it's been very busy and looks like probably the rest of the week. We've got our forestry task forces

Now you have a much better memory of this than I do, But I cannot remember this number of contemporaneous fires in Massachusetts. Now we've had no rain to speak of since September, very dry. Has there ever been a situation like this before in your memory within Massachusetts?

Not that I can remember. I know our our Chief Forrest Warden, Dave Soele, you know, he would probably be he could probably name a few. But it is it's really dry. And you know, now we believes falling and you know, everything is it's just bone dry out there and any spark, you know, figurette anything like that. So that's why we're asking for the public selth and just you know, paying attention to your lawnmowers and paying attention,

My understanding, And I've just watched the news like everyone else. I'm not a part of the news as I used to be, but I understand that there was at least one example of loss of life. There was a woman I believe in Salem. I thought I read that perished in a fire either near or in her home.

No, that was in That was in Melbury the other night on Saturday night. That wasn't. That wasn't related to an outdoor fire.

Okay, So at this point, no loss of life related to these outdoor fires.

No, and thankfully no loss to property either. And you know, some of these fires have come pretty close to some homes and some significant value properties, and luckily our firefighters out there have done a great job and I'm protecting

You know, we've seen the fires that were out in California a couple of months ago, which literally went up and down hillsides and burned, you know, hundreds of homes. So to some extent, we're lucky in that it's not of that magnitude. But if we don't, if we're not more careful, we could have something of that magnitude.

Oh absolutely, I mean is it is, uh, it's so dry out there that it's prime for that type of behavior. And again, you know, we just we don't want to lose any life, you don't want to lose any property, and you know, we just want folks to be smart about the outdoor fires. And you know, and again, if

Last question, and again, when I do these interviews, we don't review questions in advance. If I'm asking a question that you don't know the answer to, feel free to tell me. Are there any efforts to bring other firefighters in from other states? I mean, at some point our own resources and our own firefighters are going to get pretty tired, in some cases exhausted. I know that during the hurricanes of this this fall, we send some volunteers

No, we haven't requested any help. No, we haven't needed any help from any other states at this point. Luckily, Massachusetts has a great fire mobilization plan where you know, we can put strike teams and task forces together very quickly from other areas of the state and move those

Sounds great, Stay fired, Morshall, John Gavin Davin. John Davin, appreciate it so much. You taking the time tonight and we hed you up early in the bullpen. You weren't doing until a forty five. But thanks for your flexibility and get some rest and hopefully we'll get some rain in the not too distant future and calm this situation down. Appreciate it very much.

John, I sure hope, so I appreciate it. Dan, thank you for having me all right, great touch.

So when we get back, we will have our fourth and final guest, and I believe Dan has been working on getting us an ACU weather commentator. Correct me if I'm wrong, Dan, feel free to jump in and tell me if that's we're working on. That's good. Appreciate, No, appreciate. We've you talking with Brian Thompson coming up on the other side of this break, and we'll talk about getting some relief from all of these fires, and certainly nothing would do it as much good as a couple of

Now back to Dan Way live from the Window World night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.

We just spoke with the State Fire Marshal John Davin about forty seven brush fires that are in active somewhere across Massachusetts. We're delighted to be joined by Brian Thompson of ACI Weather. Brian, the questions are so obvious. I'm sure that there's nothing I'm going to ask you that's going to surprise you. But this is an extraordinary situation we find ourselves. And when was the last time we had any really measurable rain in Massachusetts?

It was about two weeks ago. Dan, it was back on the thirteenth and fourteenth, we had about a quarter of an inch of rain. There's really only been just looking at some of the stats here in Boston, I'm sure, looking at some of the out sites here, places like Worcestria, I mean, there's really only been two rain events of any substantial nature here this month, back on October seventh, and then from the thirteenth to the fourteenth. Most places have barely had two thirds of an inch of rain

Well, I remember down in the Cape, and I believe it was in either late August maybe early September, there was a torrential rain about eight inches. That was one incredible rainstorm. Am I correct in remembering that to be like late it was sometime in mid to late August.

Yeah, actually, it may have been mid to late September. Just looking back here, I see some some rainfall totals of three to five inches places like Hynis out of Provincetown too. That was that was a fire call. Correctly, a very localized event.

So there was some yes, yes, yes, yes, absolutely right there back, Yeah, yeah, there was, but that doesn't help, that doesn't Yeah, that doesn't help other parts of the state.

No, and the farther west you went with that events, Certainly it was not as impressive of a rainfall event. It was like I said, very localized, and since then, over the past four weeks, we just really haven't added

What's the next week or so looking like I watched some of the weather forecast TV weather forecast tonight, and I know there's some suggestion. I think Wednesday into Thursday they might be a little bit of rain, but there's nothing huge in the horizon.

Correct, Yeah, I think certainly this week we will have a couple of chances. Here might actually be a chance here Tomorrow night into Wednesday morning, there's going to be a warm front pushing on through. After that, it's going to get pretty warm, but we'll dry out for a few days. We have another chance with a cold front coming on Friday, and then potentially as we head into the first full week of November next week, there's at

Be on a light side.

This first event here Tuesday night Tomorrow night into Wednesday morning, probably not much more than a tenth of an inch, maybe two tenths of an inch, But we'll take what week and get. At this point, we haven't had any rain really in the last two weeks, so anything will help at this point.

And just refreshment, recollection. You may have mentioned this already, but obviously we've had hardly any rain here in October. Normally, what do we get, you know, on average across Massachusetts during the month of October, how many inches?

It's usually a little round or just a little above four inches of rain, so we're running a good bit below that. Obviously, October can be a dry month, but sometimes sometimes that average number is influenced by some tropical systems. We can still get pieces of in October. That's more usually more of a September thing, but sometimes still in October we can get some tropical moisture coming in. But

I remember one Halloween, I forget what year it was, we had a pretty good sized snowstorm one Halloween, and then for the rest of the winter, I don't think we had a really measurable snow event. Do you recall this's gotta be like maybe ten, twelve, fifteen years ago.

Yeah, I don't recall offhand to what year, But we have had storms in October. We've had them around Halloween that have brought significant snow, and that always adds an extra layer of concern because when you have snowfall, and it's usually a very wet snow when it falls in October on on trees that have still a lot of leaves on them. That can cause a lot of problems,

It was a real it was a real snowstorm. And I also remember in nineteen ninety one, and the reason I remember that is our daughter had been born earlier that month, and that was the year of the Perfect Storm, the big movie that there was such a box office hit where we had that nor'easter come in late October, so we could use something like that, maybe not quite as bad as that, but something. Brian, thank you so much.