The Common

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new guidelines regulating the presence of PFAS in municipal water systems. The proposal would require all U.S. cities to test for, and limit, the levels of six PFAS chemicals in drinking water. 

WBUR Climate and Environment Correspondent Barbara Moran joins The Common for a deeper look at these proposed limitations, and what they mean for your drinking water, and possibly your water bill, here in Massachusetts.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Looking for a fun St. Patrick's Day activity? We've got you covered. Club Passim Marketing Manager and Boston Celtic Music Festival Director Summer McCall joins The Common to give a rundown of the best places to catch live Celtic music in Boston during St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Check out Summer's full list of recommendations at WBUR.org

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Earlier this week, local chef and James Beard Leadership Award winner Irene Li posted an Instagram Reel featuring a number of controversial comments made by celebrity chef Ming Tsai during a talk at WBUR CitySpace (moderated by Li). Today, Li joins The Common to move the conversation forward, with a broader discussion about culture and accountability in Boston's restaurant industry.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

We want to share a first listen of a new podcast we're working on at WBUR.

Violation tells the story of two families bound together by an unthinkable crime. It explores America's opaque parole system and asks: How much time in prison is enough? Who gets to decide? And, when someone commits a terrible crime, what does redemption look like?

Listen to the trailer and if you like what you hear, head over to the Violation feed wherever you get your podcasts and hit subscribe so you'll get new episodes when they drop, beginning March 22.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

New Hampshire lawmakers are currently considering a number of bills that aim to restrict the rights of LGBTQ students and young people, particularly trans kids. GLAD attorney Chris Erchull joins The Common to tell us more about this legislation and what it could mean for LGBTQ youth in New Hampshire and their families.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Massachusetts lawmakers will soon consider a bill that would make it legal for someone to be committed to outpatient mental health treatment under court order. It's often called assisted outpatient treatment, and Massachusetts is one of only three states that doesn't have a law supporting it on the books.

This type of court-ordered program has sparked fierce debate among mental health advocates in the state, with many standing in opposition. WBUR Reporter Deborah Becker joins The Common to discuss this legislation, and the arguments for and against its passage.

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston City Council has voted overwhelmingly in favor of Mayor Michelle Wu's rent control proposal, which aims to cap rent increases in the city. While the proposal has cleared the council, rent control is currently banned in Massachusetts, meaning the proposal will require approval from Beacon Hill in order to take effect. 

WBUR Reporter Yasmin Amer joins The Common to break down the council's vote, and for a look at other early pushes for rent control in the Boston Area. 

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

If you've been meaning to visit more of Boston's great museums, March may be the perfect month to do so.  Whether you're into contemporary dance, searching for some cooking inspiration, or just looking for a chance to learn something new, we've got you covered.

Assistant director for WBUR CitySpace, Candice Springer joins The Common to walk us through some of the best special events happening in Boston's museum scene this month.

Candice recommends...

Global Arts Live presents Gibney Company (The Institute of Contemporary Art, March 17 - March 18)

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston Logan Airport has been in the headlines several times in recent weeks due to a number of mishaps including an averted plane collision and a fender-bender between grounded aircraft. WBUR Transportation Reporter Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez joins The Common to tell us more about these incidents and related investigations.

Editor's Note: A previous iteration of the audio version of this episode misstated the number of runway hotspots at the Austin airport. The episode has been corrected. We regret the error. 

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Missing the snow? You're not alone. People and wildlife alike are feeling the impact of a warmer, less-snowy winter.

WBUR reporter Simón Rios joins The Common to discuss what this season's weather patterns tell us about our changing climate and what winters may look like in Boston going forward. 

Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.