The Short List
Adam Frenier • Government
Adam Frenier • Government
The Short List
Adam Frenier • Government
Adam Frenier • Government

About

From New England Public Media, a rotating panel of journalists from western New England discuss the big stories of the week.

Episodes

  • 'Abysmal' Turnout In Holyoke, But 'Very Good Set Of Options' For Voters In November
    Tuesday was preliminary election day in a few western Massachusetts communities. In the race for Holyoke mayor, City Councilor Michael Sullivan and Joshua Garcia, who's the town administrator in Blandford, advanced to November's general election.
  • An 'Alarming And Scary' COVID Rise, And A Huge 'Gap' In Hospital Staffing
    Calling the spike "alarming and scary," Mayor Domenic Sarno said there were more then 250 new cases of COVID-19 in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Tuesday and Wednesday combined.
  • 'Probably The Right Call' For Sheriff To Keep Incarcerated People From Troubled Courthouse
    Despite what officials have called extensive mold cleanup and environmental testing at the Roderick Ireland Courthouse in Springfield, Massachusetts, Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi this week said he believes the courthouse still isn't safe. He's refusing to send people in his department's custody there.
  • A Call For 'Clarity' On Mask Rules, And A Plea For The Unvaccinated To Get The Shots
    This week, some health officials in western Massachusetts issued mask mandates or advisories amid rising COVID-19 rates.
  • 'The Governor Has To Be The One To Step Up' As Massachusetts Shifts Mask Guidelines
    This week, the Centers for Disease Control recommended people go back to wearing masks indoors in places where the delta variant of COVID-19 is surging — including those who have been vaccinated.
  • A 'Holding Pattern' For Many Amid Rising COVID-19 Case Rates
    COVID-19 case rates have been on the rise over the last few weeks in Massachusetts and elsewhere.
  • Western Mass. Mayoral Campaigns Raising Cash, But 'Too Early To Tell' Who Voters Favor
    You might be thinking about your vacation plans or backyard barbecues, but there are several mayoral races heating up across western Massachusetts.
  • The Short List Lights Up A Conversation About Cannabis — Now Legal In Connecticut
    On Thursday, possession of marijuana became legal for recreational use in Connecticut. That's after the General Assembly and Governor Ned Lamont signed off on the legislation last month.
  • Massachusetts Vaccine Lottery Might Nudge Some To Get A COVID-19 Shot
    This week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a COVID-19 vaccine lottery, designed to encourage people to continue to get their shots.
  • In A 'No-Win Situation,' Springfield Police Commissioner Clapprood 'Has To Start Listening'
    This week, a group of seniors gathered in downtown Springfield t0 renew their call for Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood to be removed from her job.
  • 2011 Tornado Ripped 'The Heart Out of Springfield,' But Also 'Transformed' It
    This week marks 10 years since a devastating tornado ripped through a swath of western Massachusetts. Three people were killed and 200 injured, and it caused more than $200 million in damages.
  • As COVID Rules End In Mass., Uncertainty About Mask Use And Vaccination Efforts
    This weekend, nearly all COVID-19 safety restrictions will be lifted in Massachusetts. That includes mask requirements — at least for people who are vaccinated.
  • 'Opioid Issues Are A Serious Problem' As Overdose Deaths Climb
    Massachusetts public health officials announced this week opioid overdose deaths climbed by 5% in the state last year.
  • 'Access Is Everything' As Massachusetts Pivots Its COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
    Massachusetts announced changes this week to its COVID-19 vaccine distribution strategy. More shots will be provided to regional sites, mobile clinics and doctor's offices.
  • When It Comes To Reopening, 'People Have Been On A Roller Coaster This Whole Time'
    This week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a further rollback of the state's COVID-19 restrictions.
  • Sarno To Appeal, But 'Good Decision' To Allow Springfield Police Commission To Go Forward
    A Massachusetts superior court judge has largely sided with the Springfield City Council in its lawsuit against Mayor Domenic Sarno over a 2018 ordinance seeking to establish a police commission.
  • Youth Mental Health Crises Likely To 'Linger After The Pandemic'
    This week on The Short List: Many children in western Massachusetts in a mental health crisis are struggling to get services they need.
  • As Massachusetts Kids Return To Schools, Reopening May Be 'More For The Optics'
    Many Massachusetts schools will open for full, in-person learning on April 5. Others, including Springfield, will start with a hybrid model, and bring back younger students first.
  • 'Certainly Been Some Drawbacks,' But Improvement Seen In Vaccine Rollout In Massachusetts
    This week Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker was grilled by a legislative oversight committee looking into his administration's COVID-19 response.
  • 'If You Live In Skin That Isn't White,' There Is No Surprise To 'Visible And Deadly Aggressions'
    There was stunning news this week of a series of murders in the Atlanta area, where a white man killed eight people including six Asian women.