News

A box of joints branded as Dogwalkers are sold at Rise, a marijuana medical dispensary in Amherst, Massachusetts. (Photo: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Weed May be Legal In Massachusetts, But Dealers Aren't Done Yet

7:20                                                        July 1, 2018
A day that many people have long pushed for in Massachusetts finally arrived. If you’re over 21 it’s legal, now, to buy marijuana in a store licensed by the state. But the illegal market isn’t expected to go away anytime soon.        New England Public Radio

Children, Teachers, Educators Bear the Weight of Keeping Schools Safe

6:46                                                       March 13, 2018
In the past decade, it’s become the norm for students to practice lock downs to protect against an intruder with a gun. Now some western Massachusetts educators say they want to do more to secure their schools. New England Public Radio

In Mohawk Regional School in Shelburne Falls, Mass. a flip of a switch locks doors and calls the police. (Nancy Eve Cohen)

Nearly one thousand people rallied in front of Northampton City Hall last night. (Nancy Eve Cohen)

After Charlottesville New Englanders Rally Against Racism, Violence

1:00
August 13, 2017
Nearly one thousand people rallied in front of Northampton City Hall last night to condemn the white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. New England Public Radio

Confederate Flag In Schools: A Question Of Safety Or Speech?

2:38
May 10, 2017
Can a school prevent students from wearing the Confederate flag? The school committee in Easthampton, Massachusetts, did just that this week, raising questions about the rights of students and responsibilities of educators. New England Public Radio

A person wearing a shirt with the image of the confederate flag walks towards Easthampton High School on May 3, 2017,

A map in the Philip G. Coburn Elementary School in West Springfield, Mass. (Nancy Eve Cohen)

Plenty Of Strategies -- And Little Funding
To Address Refugee Students’ Needs

5:37
March 8, 2017
In his revised executive order, President Trump has cut the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. by more than half. But since the fall of last year, nearly 1800 refugees have already re-settled in New England, and more than a third of them are children and teens. This story looks at the experiences of teachers and their students, who are refugees. New England Public Radio

Amid Uncertainty, Children Still Prepare To Welcome Refugees

4:19
February 6, 2017
When the city of Northampton decided more than a year ago to welcome refugees to their community, many groups engaged in the planning process — including the public schools. And despite President Trump’s attempt to suspend the refugee program, school children continue to prepare. New England Public Radio

Children at Leeds Elementary School in Northampton, Mass get ready to welcome refugees. (Nancy Cohen)

Kathryn Buckley-Brawner of Catholic Charities addresses a meeting at Beit Ahavah, a synagogue in Northampton, Mass., about the impact of the president's policy on refugees who are expected to resettle in the city. (Nancy Eve Cohen)

As Refugees Are Halted By Trump's Orders, Northampton Residents Vow Not To Sit Still

3:46
January 30, 2017
The city of Northampton has spent the last year getting ready to welcome dozens of refugees. But now, following the president's executive order, there is a lot of uncertainty about what's next. On Sunday, Northampton residents gathered to learn what the order means and what they can do to help. WBUR

On MLK Day, A Call for Unity and Healing

2:10
January 16, 2017
At the Martin Luther King Day celebration in Springfield, Massachusetts many of those attending called for unity and healing at a time of political change and division. New England Public Radio

D.R.E.A.M Studios performance at MLK Day celebration in Springfield, Mass. (Photo: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Damien Johnson paints a solvent on a rock on top of Mt Tom to get rid of racist graffiti. (Photo Credit: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Scrubbing Away Racist Words Atop Mount Tom

1:43
November 11, 2016
A few days after the election a group of people hiked up a mountain in Massachusetts to clean up racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic graffiti. “I’m just taking another wack at Hitler,” said Tom Peake as he rubbed the cliff with a wire brush. “They painted Hitler on this rock.. You can’t even read it at this point.”  New England Public Radio

In Northampton, Vote Ends In Heartache

4:00
November 9, 2016
Even getting close to electing a woman president is meaningful for some. On Election Day in Northampton, Massachusetts, a city known for its vibrant women’s community,  the mood swung from elation to heartache.
New England Public Radio

Smith College student Ellie Wolf lost sleep the night before the election, worrying about the outcome (Photo credit: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Bernie Sanders speaking in Springfield, Massachusetts in October 2015. (Photo: Paul Shoul)

Bernie Sanders Broaches Gun Control

2:20
October 3, 2015
Just days after a mass shooting at a college in Oregon, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addressed an issue he hasn’t talked about much: gun control. New England Public Radio

Cat in the Hat Runs For President,
Calling For Kindness

2:00
July 26, 2016
A new contender for the presidency is stepping into the race — paw first. The Cat in the Hat announced his candidacy in Springfield, Mass., on the steps of the boyhood home of his creator and children’s book author, Theodor Geisel. The Cat is calling for more kindness and an end to hunger. New England Public Radio

The Cat in the Hat announced his candidacy in Springfield, Massachusetts, on the steps of the boyhood home of his creator. (Photo credit: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse celebrates his re-election. (Photo Credit: Nancy Eve Cohen)

Holyoke Mayor, age 26, Wins Third Term

2:16
November 3, 2015
In Holyoke, supporters of incumbent Mayor Alex Morse are celebrating after a hard-fought, tight race against business owner Fran O’Connell.
New England Public Radio

Elizabeth Warren Supporters In Rural Part Of The State Could Tip The Balance

4:51
October 10, 2012
Western Massachusetts is home to only an eighth of the state’s voters. Yet in a close election, like the senate race between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown, those votes could tip the balance.  WBUR

Voters in the western part of Massachusetts could tip the balance in a tight race. (Photo credit: Nancy Eve Cohen)