NightSide With Dan Rea

President Trump continues to ramp up his pressure campaign to acquire Greenland, the Arctic island and semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, citing U.S. national security needs. Top U.S. allies have rejected the president’s statements on acquiring Greenland and are preparing retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. acts… What's at stake and what's the likelihood of Trump actually taking action to acquire Greenland? Former Ambassador to Denmark, Alan Leventhal, checked in with Dan.

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As of the end of 2025, the Massachusetts Parole Board had approved the release of 39 murder convicts, while denying parole to 12 inmates. This year so far in 2026, the Parole Board has released 5 more murder convicts, denying just 3. This comes in the wake of the state Supreme Judicial Court ruling in 2024 that ruled that emerging adults aged 18 to 20 at the time of the offense cannot be sentenced to life without parole.

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We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!

Where AI is headed in 2026 & how parents and educators can better protect kids online this year.
Guest: Angela Nakalembe (pronounced Neck-Ah-LAM-BAY)– chemical engineer by trade – now  works for YouTube as the company’s engineering program manager for trust and safety.

"I WISH I’D QUIT SOONER: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss."
Guest: Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - workplace and organizational psychologist

The Boston accent is disappearing…come how and is that a good thing?
Guest: Marjorie Whittaker – speech language pathologist – founder of the Whittaker Group

Look Twice: Your Guide to Staying Safe in an Unsafe World – helping everyday people spot risks before they become problems — at home, at work, on the road and in public spaces.
Guest: Tim Beard – Author - former CIA officer and security expert

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Protestors in Minnesota entered a church to draw attention to their cause. Dan thinks this is a step too far. What do you think? 

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 Dr. Jeffrey Gold is one of approximately 156 clinicians in Massachusetts who operate a “direct care” practice. Dr. Gold does not accept insurance, and his patients pay a set monthly fee to cover check-ups, sick visits, telehealth, and in-office procedures. Things like lab work and imaging are arranged through outside sources at reasonable contracted prices. Dr. Gold joined Dan to talk about this growing trend of direct care medicine as difficulties increase with access and affordability in the current health care system.   

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Transportation funding in Massachusetts continues to be a tough conversation among state leaders and lawmakers. The MBTA has a projected fiscal shortfall of nearly $900 million by fiscal year 2029 due to expenses rising faster than revenue. Governor Maura Healey proposed using proceeds from the state’s new millionaires' tax ($687 million) to fund the T, but by the time the FY2026 state budget was passed, the amount was down to $470 million. Dan spoke with Brian Kane, Executive Director of the MBTA Advisory Board, about the T’s budget woes. 

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We began the program with four interesting guests on topics we think you should know more about!

It’s MLK Day! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement who fought against segregation and racial injustice. He earned his PhD in systematic theology from BU‘s School of Theology in 1955 and donated his papers to the University – Hendrickson talked about MLK and their collection.
Guest:  Ryan Hendrickson, Assist. Dir. for Manuscripts at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University

We’ve been told for years to prioritize low-fat dairy, but now RFK Jr. has flipped the food pyramid to emphasize whole milk and full fat dairy – Is this in our best interest?  Dr. Mozaffarian explained.
Guest:   Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist and director of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University

The interest in therapeutic communities appears to be growing among U.S. healthcare providers, and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is encouraging the creation of more "healing farms" across the country for people struggling with substance use.  Shawn’s addiction treatment “farm” happened quite by accident, and he’s glad it did! 
Guest:   Shawn Hayden, President/CEO of the Gardner Athol Area Mental Health Association

A new trend is on the rise for Gen Z men – it’s called “Trad Son” or “Hub-Son”: a stay-at-home-son who chooses to live with their parents, often rent-free, and take on domestic responsibilities typically associated with stay-at-home partners. **One man quit his $190K job to become a stay-at-home son.  Is this a healthy trend? What are the drawbacks / benefits psychologically – and how to do parents who don’t approve of this trend effectively handle a trad son?
Guest:   Dr. Sanam Hafeez, Founder and Director of Comprehend the Mind

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For the last broadcast hour of the week, Dan wanted to hear your predictions for the outcome of the Patriots-Texan’s playoff game! Who will win and by how much?

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For many, with a new year comes New Years resolutions; commitments or goals aimed at positive change for oneself. Some popular resolutions are weight loss, financial savings, etc. If you’ve set some resolutions for yourself this year, have you kept them or already broken them? Dan wanted to hear all about your New Year’s resolutions and how it's going!

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According to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS that focuses on Trump’s first year in office, a majority of Americans believe Trump is focused on the wrong priorities and doing too little to address the cost of living. The poll overall is not a good look for President Trump or the Republican Party. What are your thoughts on Trump's first year back in office? What grade would you currently give Trump?

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