In this live episode of The Codcast, Commonwealth Beacon's Jennifer Smith is joined by Danielle Allen of Harvard University and Partners in Democracy to discuss how Massachusetts's democracy is doing.
CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith is joined by the head of the Boston Housing Authority, Kenzie Bok, to discuss housing justice, the role of public housing in the city and commonwealth, and what's on the horizon in the world of public housing.
Co-hosts John McDonough and Paul Hattis are joined by Robbie Goldstein, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, to discuss what he learned working at the CDC, his thoughts on public health issues facing the Commonwealth, and more.
This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith is joined by Jack Schneider, coauthor of Off the Mark: How Grades, Ratings, and Rankings Undermine Learning (but Don’t Have To). They discuss the book's argument in the context of current debates over Massachusetts's testing requirements and proposals to rethink them.
CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith is joined by State Auditor Diana DiZoglio to discuss her attempt to audit the Massachusetts legislature, as well as other audits her office is conducting.
Hosts Paul Hattis and John McDonough are joined by Sree Chaguturu, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health, to discuss the role played by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) in drug pricing in light of proposed state and federal regulation.
The Worcester Chamber of Commerce recently announced its support for the launch of the Worcester Guardian, a nonprofit digital news organization. Tim Murray, the Chamber's president, joins CommonWealth's Michael Jonas to discuss the Guardian, local nonprofit journalism, and questions of funding and independence.
The Dorchester Food Co-op is a new community & worker-owned grocery store that aims to make healthy food accessible and advance economic opportunity and neighborhood engagement. General manager John Santos joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith to discuss the co-op's origins and business model.
Ed Augustus is the first Secretary of the newly-formed Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. He joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith for a wide-ranging discussion of the challenges facing housing in Massachusetts, including shelter capacity, low vacancy rates, and changing patterns of work.
State Rep. Peter Durant and Evan Horowitz of the Tufts Center for State Policy Analysis join CommonWealth's Bruce Mohl to discuss Massachusetts's Right to Shelter law in relationship to the current shelter emergency and housing crisis.
Oren Sellstrom is the litigation director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, which recently filed a complaint claiming that Harvard's legacy and donor admissions preferences violate federal civil rights law. He joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith to discuss the complaint, admissions preferences, affirmative action, and diversity in educational institutions.
Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP, joins CommonWealth's Jennifer Smith to talk about the recent national NAACP convention (the first in Boston in 40 years), its goals, and its impact.
On a special nautical episode of the Codcast, CommonWealth editor Bruce Mohl visits the construction site of Vineyard Wind 1, the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm.
How local control has harmed preserving community character by CommonWealth Beacon
Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE, discusses a new campaign to bring ranked choice voting to Boston with CommonWeath's Jennifer Smith.
The Old North Church, best known for its starring role in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem “Paul Revere’s Ride,” turns 300 years old this year. Nikki Stewart, Executive Director of Old North Illuminated, joins CommonWealth’s Jennifer Smith to talk about the role of myths in teaching history and why the Old North site has been designated as a “site of conscience.”
Why Barnstable is integral to offshore wind plans by CommonWealth Beacon
Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Sarah Evans with Open Society Foundations join CommonWealth reporter Jennifer Smith to discuss the international landscape of safe consumption sites and Somerville’s proposal to be the first municipality in the state to allow supervised consumption.
Cape Cod residents share concerns on offshore wind transmission lines by CommonWealth Beacon
Medicaid redetermination process off to fast start by CommonWealth Beacon
Mass. offshore wind developers could forfeit more than $100m by CommonWealth Beacon
Iselin of Blue Cross raises red flag on rising health care costs by CommonWealth Beacon
Kim Driscoll joins CommonWealth Magazine’s Jennifer Smith to talk about her switch from Salem mayor to lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. Driscoll’s taking on a jack-of-all-trades role as the administration reshuffles leadership and cabinet positions to address simultaneous housing, transportation, and competitiveness crises.
Like Goldilocks, Glynn trying to fashion ‘just right’ T board by CommonWealth Beacon
Andrea Campbell is about five months into her role as Massachusetts' new attorney general, replacing now-governor Maura Healey, who backed her for the post. This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Magazine’s Jennifer Smith talks with Campbell about the transition from Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate to top prosecutor, focusing the office’s fire on issues ranging from energy policy, criminal justice, and even the state lottery.
Has party imbalance broken democracy in Massachusetts? by CommonWealth Beacon
This week on the Codcast, Jennifer Smith explores artificial intelligence’s growing prominence in our everyday lives with Dr. Nir Eisikovits, professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Eisikovits founded the school’s Applied Ethics Center (https://www.umb.edu/ethics) and has spent the past years thinking about the impact of AI on moral decision making and its unique relationship to work and creativity.
Taking the long view with the MBTA by CommonWealth Beacon
Moulton’s ambitious, expensive, and enthralling transportation vision by CommonWealth Beacon
Cain Hayes vows to retain Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts brands by CommonWealth Beacon
