NightSide With Dan Rea

For the last half hour of the show, Dan opened up the topic floodgates and invited callers to bring up any topic, or topic suggestions they'd like to hear on Nightside with Dan Rea.

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Continued conversation about how President Trump has signed an executive order designed to fast-track both research on and access to the medicinal use of psychedelic drugs, including a $50 million investment in state governments to study how psychedelics might help people struggling with mental health illnesses. Dr. Kristen Cherian, a researcher of psychedelic medicine at Stanford University, joined the program to answer questions, break down the pros and cons of psychedelic use, and discuss how drugs like ibogaine, which have not been approved by the FDA, have been used to decrease opioid cravings and treat severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in veterans. 

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Recently, President Trump signed an executive order designed to fast-track both research on and access to the medicinal use of psychedelic drugs, including a $50 million investment in state governments to study how psychedelics might help people struggling with mental health illnesses. Drugs like ibogaine, which have not been approved by the FDA, have been used to decrease opioid cravings and treat severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in veterans. Some healthcare providers have found that the use of such psychedelic substances has shown significant improvement for people with traumatic brain injuries or severe mental health conditions. Have you or someone you know used psychedelics for medicinal purposes? Dr. Kristen Cherian, a researcher of psychedelic medicine at Stanford University, joined us to answer questions, break down the pros and cons of psychedelic use, and more!

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The U.S. Senate race in Maine is getting interesting as Democratic candidate Gov. Janet Mills drops out of the race, pointing to a lack of campaign funds. She had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and prominent left-leaning advocacy groups, as the Democrats hope to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins. Mills' exit paves the way for first-time political candidate Graham Planter, a 41-year-old oyster farmer who has never held political office nor even run for office before this year. The Senate seat up for grabs in Maine is highly contested as the Democrats in the Senate try to win control of a closely divided Senate.

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8:05PM: Heart disease is by far the leading cause of death in the U.S. Recent medical data indicate a significant and troubling rise in stroke rates among younger Americans (those under 65). What you need to know and how you survive a stroke!- Survive Stroke Week 2026 is coming up May 3–9. It aims to raise awareness of stroke symptoms (BE FAST) and ensure immediate, lifesaving emergency treatment to improve survival and recovery rates.

Guest: Mahesh V. Jayaraman, MD – Chief of Diagnostic Imaging, Brown University Health; Director, Neurovascular Center, Rhode Island Hospital 

8:15PM: Even with $100 fines, many in no-tow Cambridge aren’t moving their cars for street sweeping!

Guest: John Fitzgerald – Cambridge DPW Environmental Services Manager 

8:30PM: Massachusetts eases teacher licensing rules to tackle teacher shortage.

Guest: Samantha Drysdale – State House News Reporter 

8:45PM: More than 30 million people have unclaimed money or assets. Are you one of them? How you can find out!

Guest: Bill Dendy - CPA and money manager with Raymond James

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Former FBI director James Comey is now facing another indictment again. This time stemming from an Instagram post of seashells arranged in the sand to form the numbers "86 47" with a caption that read: "cool shell formation on my beach walk". Republicans took that as a threat or message of violence against President Trump with 86 meaning "to get rid of". The indictment charges Comey with two counts: knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of - and to inflict bodily harm on - the president, and second, knowingly and willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to kill the president. Is this just political revenge by Trump or political justice?

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Former FBI director James Comey is now facing another indictment again. This time stemming from an Instagram post of seashells arranged in the sand to form the numbers "86 47" with a caption that read: "cool shell formation on my beach walk". Republicans took that as a threat or message of violence against President Trump with 86 meaning "to get rid of". The indictment charges Comey with two counts: knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of - and to inflict bodily harm on - the president, and second, knowingly and willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to kill the president. Is this just political revenge by Trump or political justice?

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Incumbent Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) is up for reelection this year. GOP Candidate for U.S. Senate in MA, John Deaton joined us to discuss his campaign and the issues he's prepared to tackle if elected Senator for MA. Deaton won the Massachusetts GOP endorsement and will face the winner of this fall’s Democratic primary between incumbent Sen. Markey and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton.

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8:05PM: The Bruins cleaned up their turnovers and simplified their game, and they live to fight another day.

Guest: Kevin Paul Dupont – Boston Globe Senior Staff sportswriter and columnist 

8:15PM: A Pen to Change the World: The Life of J.K. Rowling-The only complete biography of the world’s most famous author, which includes exclusive interview content with relatives of Rowling.

Guest: Solomon Schmidt - Author 

8:30PM: Bridges Homeward - a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families through innovative programs and services that promote safety, stability, and opportunity.-Upcoming event: 2026 Circle of Friends Celebration and Gala at Fenway Park.

Guest: Yoyo Yau – CEO of Bridges Homeward 

8:45PM: S.S. Pierce: A Boston Tradition – The story and history of Samuel Pierce’s iconic gourmet food and wine emporium.

Guest: Anthony Sammarco - renowned Boston historian and author

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How can we cut down on the current political rhetoric that's filled with vitriol and at times questionably dangerous speech? Late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel is under fire (again) for comments he made mocking the White House Correspondents' Dinner days before it occurred, saying Melania looks to have the "glow of an expectant widow", among other questionable comments. In other examples we've seen the President himself making nasty comments against his opponents. The rhetoric goes both ways, so we ask, as a society, how we can cool down the rhetoric on both sides?

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